Systemic vs. systematic (for example, “systemic racism”)

Systemic vs. systematic (for example, “systemic racism”)

When you read about the protests about race and policing, you are sure to encounter the phrase “systemic racism.” Why that word “systemic?” Why not “systematic,” which, at one time, was a much more common word? What is the difference between “systematic” and “systemic?” I don’t even recall hearing the word “systemic” until about 15…