Locus of Control/Has the past passed?

How much/what extent are current conditions a function of personal deficiencies or policy decisions?

The historical construction of "race" was part of the process of elevating the cultural and material dominance of Europeans. The fact that Europeans shared a common geography which spawned a common technology for living or similar responses to that environment resulted in similar attitudes, actions and appearances. The appearance part was most apparent in that different phenotypical/physical features evolved over time based on that shared environment. One such difference/similarity was the presence of melanin that resulted from proximity to the equator. This apparent appearance difference was institutionalized as "race."

What those apparent/appearance differences represented was interpreted to be more than skin deep. A easy marker of apparent/appearance difference was the presence of melanin. Melanin, or its absence, became a marker for humanity, humanness and all of the qualities that make us human. The more melanin the less human. The  less melanin the more human. These assumptions regarding the presence or absence of human qualities based on the presence of melanin were mapped onto meritocracy.

Policies ere implemented to constrain engagement, deny opportunities and discourage involvement. Laws were created that pushed down, held back and denied access to resources, opportunities to be involved and acknowledgement of abilities based on the presence of melanin. These policy deprivations over time became to be perceived as personal deficiencies that were because of the presence of melanin.

What extent are current inequity resulting from past injustices?

Many, dare I say 'most', of the policies that created these conditions continue to exist. Many of the institutions that were created with their purpose to implement policies that denied, deprived, discourage people based on the presence of melanin continues to exist. They also continue to operate utilizing the original assumptions and intentions that they were created with and for. So in many instances that past isn't the past but actually exists in and as the present. The current conditions reflect both past practices and current policies. This results in the current inequities being a  direct result of past practices and current policy being a legacy result of past injustices.