Racism remains an economic anchor that holds back African-Americans and other minority groups, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Thursday.  

The still-sluggish economic recovery overseen by the Obama administration has benefited whites more than blacks and Hispanics, Biden told a National Urban League conference in Washington. And he said “institutional racism” is a big reason why.  

“Despite our successes, the recovery hasn’t been equally shared,” Biden said of his and President Barack Obama’s seven years of economic stewardship . “We’ve come a long way, but more has to be done.”  

[Bromance? Biden Expresses ‘Love’ for Boehner]

He said African-Americans and Hispanics economically “lag way behind their white counterparts,” pointing out that the collective wealth of white families is seven times that of African-American families.  

Over half of black children who are born poor stay poor, a rate he said is “double” that of poor white kids. And it is “destructive” to minority families and communities that many non-whites are unable to obtain mortgages, Biden said.   

He singled out “institutional racism … that most people don’t even see” as the root cause, arguing it often is baked into American society.  

[Boehner: Biden Could Step in if Email Scandal Forces Clinton Out]

“We’re only slowly beginning to acknowledge it,” he said, making “no apologies” for highlighting the issue.  

“Sometimes it’s uncomfortable” to talk about racism, Biden acknowledged, “but these are uncomfortable times.”  

African-Americans and other minority groups “are capable of doing extraordinary things,” Biden said, urging others to “just give them a shot.”  

Contact Bennett at johnbennett@cqrollcall.com. Follow him on Twitter @BennettJohnT.