Herland Sister Resources

Preliminary findings of research at St. John’s University and Howard University are suggesting that racism could help explain disparities in health across races.  Discrimination seems to act as a source of chronic stress the same way that marital conflict or strains at work do, increasing the stress hormone cortisol, raising blood pressure, and suppressing the immune system. 
One of the studies found that racism experienced in the day led to elevated blood pressure at night, suggesting the body can’t turn off its stress response.  Other studies have shown that the stress of suppressing the inner turmoil caused by racist encounters can itself lead to ill effects.