Wife's grandfather (on her dad's side) was a sharecropper in south GA. So only three back. Her dad learned a trade (mechanic) in the army, then worked as a union truck mechanic for 40 years to get away from the farm. He may not have graduated the 8th grade, but overcame that through hard work. I have admired his knowledge, skills and common sense and am proud to have him as FIL.
Now, I will say that a black man I've spend the last couple of months discussion all this with had a point that in the 60's, his hard working dad had to have a white guy come into the bank with him to get the loan for the house that he grew up in or he wouldn't have been approved. My FIL was able to get a loan on his own for the $10,000 house while he made $80 a week in the same time period by himself.
I have no doubt there are still those that, laws not withstanding, use race to determine outcomes of applications like that. It's too easy to do.
However, I've said before, that rioters that are showing violence do nothing but reinforce the image that anyone protesting is dangerous and police should be on a hair trigger when facing them. Its a self fulfilling prophecy.