Tuesday, August 3 marks Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the approximate date in 2021 when the average Black woman working full-time year-round finally catches up to what the average non-Hispanic white man earned in 2020.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) offers resources that provide insight into this systemic inequity, its impact on Black women’s lives and policy recommendations on how to close the gap.

• Systemic Racism and the Gender Pay Gap: New research on how decades of discriminatory employment practices, intentionally inadequate legal protections and persistent racial stereotypes contribute to a pay gap that remains far wider for women of color than for white women.

• The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap: The gap between what women earn compared to their male counterparts has remained stubbornly persistent at about 82 cents on the dollar for the past several decades. This reportsThis report explores the reasons behind the gap and outlines what can be done.

• Black Women and Student Debt. The gender pay gap contributes to the fact that Black women graduate from college with higher levels of student debt—and often have a difficult time paying it off. AAUW calls for equitable debt forgiveness policies that ensure that the neediest borrowers get the help they need.