Throughout American history, capital punishment has been impacted by systemic racism, with discriminatory laws explicitly targeting Black individuals during the era of slavery. In many states, Black people—enslaved or free—faced the death penalty for offenses that did not warrant the same punishment for White offenders. Today, the debate over capital punishment remains inseparable from questions of racial bias, casting doubt on the legal system. Research consistently shows that race plays a critical role in determining who is sentenced to death and executed. This blog post examines these disparities and highlights ongoing efforts to address racial inequities in the use of the death penalty.