In the modern day, mostly because poor people live in undesirable areas and black people are more likely to be poor. Rich black people aren’t living near chemical plants.
(Black people became more likely to be poor because of a long history of racism, but social mobility is sufficiently difficult for everyone that they aren’t necessarily staying poor because of on-going racism. They would be living near to chemical plants disproportionately often for generations to come even if all racism disappeared today.)
I wonder, why are industrial zoning and low property values also correlated with race?
In the modern day, mostly because poor people live in undesirable areas and black people are more likely to be poor. Rich black people aren’t living near chemical plants.
(Black people became more likely to be poor because of a long history of racism, but social mobility is sufficiently difficult for everyone that they aren’t necessarily staying poor because of on-going racism. They would be living near to chemical plants disproportionately often for generations to come even if all racism disappeared today.)
You should read up on the history of our country. I think you would be surprised