Long-term effects of institutional slavery on Black representation in entrepreneurship: a study of US communities

I argue that the historical prevalence of slavery in different US communities has led to discernible patterns of hate crimes and hate groups. Such legacies of institutional slavery have persisted and, in turn, affected present-day Black representation in entrepreneurship. Drawing on a sample of US counties, I find supportive evidence for my hypotheses and use a spatial discontinuity design for additional evidence. I also explore several possible mechanisms, including vandalism, access to finance, role-modeling effects, and Black displacement, and provide a more comprehensive assessment of slavery by including historical data of the Northeastern states. My study contributes to the institutional legacy literature by characterizing one way through which legacies evolve such that institutions that have been abolished long ago create lasting impacts. I also contribute to understanding the lasting effects of chattel slavery by unpacking the hate-related legacies and extend the literature to understand Black representation in entrepreneurship.