Overview

• Legislators whose ancestors enslaved 16 or more people have a median net worth $3.93 million higher than those without slaveholder ancestry.
• The study used genealogical data from Reuters and financial disclosures to establish the wealth disparity.
• Researchers adjusted for age, race, sex, ethnicity, and education, yet the wealth gap persisted.
• The findings highlight the enduring economic impact of slavery on descendants of slaveholders.
• The study's results may bolster discussions on reparations and economic equity in the U.S.