If you are interested in why racial segregation persists to such a high level (especially in the de-industrialized midwestern and rust belt cities) and the persistence of intractable racial disparities, I highly recommend Massey and Denton's American Apartheid. A bit old now, but still a very clear and deep understanding of segregation and its effects
I spent about a decade working for racial justice think tanks doing research and policy work around racial segregation and its connection to racial disparities, and it was always my go to book to explain to people why the work I was doing was important for racial justice.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0674018214/?tag=mh0b-20&hvadid=4161...
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I spent about a decade working for racial justice think tanks doing research and policy work around racial segregation and its connection to racial disparities, and it was always my go to book to explain to people why the work I was doing was important for racial justice.