Holder: Subtle Racism Is Worse Than Bigoted Outbursts

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - President Barack Obama sits with Attorney General Eric Holder during the 32nd annual the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, Wednesday, May 15, 2013, on Capitol Hill... FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE - President Barack Obama sits with Attorney General Eric Holder during the 32nd annual the National Peace Officers Memorial Service, Wednesday, May 15, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington, honoring law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) MORE LESS
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BALTIMORE (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder says subtle, institutionalized racism has a more “pernicious” effect than the occasional bigoted outburst.

Holder spoke about the different forms of racism during a commencement address Saturday at historically black Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Holder is in the final year of his tenure as attorney general and has addressed racism more strongly of late. His comments Saturday came on the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that desegregated public schools.

Holder noted that in some schools districts, “significant divisions persist and segregation has reoccurred,” including through discipline policies that affect black males more than whites.

He says the Justice Department is working to reduce racial disparities in sentencing. And he says some states have placed new restrictions on voting that disproportionately impact African-Americans.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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