The race, gender, and socioeconomic status of intended beneficiaries have played a measurable role in policymaking, particularly influencing eligibility and access to public supports for families of color earning low incomes. Our social policy history timelines highlight the evolution of inequities caused by patterns of exclusionary policymaking.
From Design to Disparities: How Inequitable Access Evolved Over Time
Social and economic inequities have emerged through layered systems of power and social norms, resulting in the inequitable distribution of public resources to certain communities across America today. Though these disparities trace back centuries, the effects of structural inequities have often extended the life cycle of economic precarity across generations.
To understand how we can better design policies that are accessible and effective, we must first understand how inequitable access to public support systems has been sustained.
The timelines reflect content from policy history reports published in December 2025. Scroll through key moments in time and follow the accumulation of inequities in policy design through the years.
The History of Paid Family Leave Policy Timeline
Our analysis illustrates the historical timeline of labor and family policies that shape present-day paid family leave policies. Inequities in the accessibility and affordability of paid family leave have been influenced by narratives that some families (most often families experiencing poverty and families of color) are less deserving of financial support and legal work protections.
As a result of historical policy design, many workers of color remain less likely to meet eligibility requirements for either paid or unpaid leave and are less likely to be able to afford to take time away from work to bond with a new child when available.
Trace the path from past to present and explore the evolution of paid family leave policies.
The History of Child Care Policies
Our historical analysis illustrates the throughlines from our country’s earliest child care policies to today’s subsidy systems, with a particular focus on the racial equity of policy design and implementation over time.
In doing so, we found that the attempts to exclude non-White recipients and, if included, limit the generosity of aid, creates unique, inequitable barriers for families of color while also undermining the foundation of the subsidized care system for all families with low incomes.
Move through the moments that shaped inequity in child care policies and see the ripple effects on families today.
Read the full reports to uncover more gaps in access and outcomes across social policies.
Our analysis of these social policy histories identifies how the race, gender, and socioeconomic status of intended beneficiaries have influenced policy choices through the years and illuminate the real-world implications of inequitable design.
Explore the full policy history reports to gain a deeper understanding of how racial disparities emerged and their ongoing impact.
Policy History Timelines