It is estimated that more than 800 million individuals have chronic kidney disease (CKD) worldwide, and a further 5 to 10 million individuals require renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Notwithstanding these staggering overall numbers, it is clear that the burden of kidney failure and its earlier stages disproportionately affect certain groups of individuals. Among the populations most affected, African Americans stand out, with a prevalence of CKD and ESRD that is several-fold higher than that described in individuals of other race-ethnicity, especially non-Hispanic whites in the United States.