March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Established by the United Nations, the day commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, when police in South Africa opened fire on peaceful protestors demonstrating against racist “pass laws.” Sixty-nine people were killed in the massacre.

Since then, the day has raised awareness and encouraged global action to combat racism. But there is still much more work to do.

Racism continues to result in avoidable and unfair disparities in power, resources and opportunities — for individuals and groups and within institutions and social systems. It has profound impacts on children’s lives, including on their physical health.

A study that included more than 95,000 American children aged 18 and younger found that those who experienced racial discrimination had a significantly lower likelihood of reporting that they were in excellent health, compared with those who did not have such experiences. To learn more, see Vol. 15, No. 3 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.