“Bigotry lives not just in our words, but in our actions, thoughts, and institutions.”
― DaShanne Stokes, sociologist, author, and speaker*
Our Purpose
Although segregation is no longer a legal practice, the United States, and specifically Indianapolis, IN, still suffers from the lasting effects of decades of institutionalized, racist practices. These practices can be seen through the study of housing segregation and the motives behind it, redlining conducted within the Indianapolis area, and the still-segregated neighborhoods of this area today. The limits these policies place on the freedom of movement of people of color are a shameful part of our history. By restricting where people of color can live, pursue education and employment, and move their families, the "land of the free" has shown incredible hypocrisy. Our project works to synthesize the information of the past and the present to show the lack of effective policies that have been implemented in attempts to integrate the community. Housing segregation in America is an incredibly stubborn pattern with a complex history requiring complex solutions, and Indianapolis. Segregation in schooling districts, public housing projects, transportation contracts, and persistent stereotypes are all manifestations of, and contributors to housing segregation. We don't claim to detail all of the roots and causes of housing segregation, or to have all the answers. Still, we'd like to present an honest and transparent look at just some of the factors of, consequences of, and potential solutions to the housing segregation in Indianapolis, Indiana.
What is Redlining?Redlining was defined as the act of denying neighborhoods that were predominately black or impoverished of financial services and actively separating whites and blacks by baring black citizens from living in majority white neighborhoods. The Home Owners Loan Corporation created a guideline to label different neighborhoods as A-D, grading the areas that were predominately white and wealthy as A and the neighborhoods that housed those who were impoverished and mostly non-white as D. As described by the "Mapping Inequality" article, A/Green= "Best," B/Blue= "Still Desirable," C/Yellow= "Definitely Declining," and D/Red= "Hazardous" [9]. This caused many insurance companies and banks to not give out loans or insurance to the people who lived in the neighborhoods labeled D [12].
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Who was the Homeowners Loan Corporation?The Homeowners Loan Corporation was a federal agency created by President Franklin Roosevelt in the Home Owners Loan Act of 1933 [10]. This corporation was what established the A through D housing guidelines mentioned above. As part of the New Deal, the purpose of the Homeowners Loan Corporation was to help with the issues in real estate and foreclosures [10].
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*More about Dr. Stokes: Stokes, DaShanne. Biography | Dr. DaShanne Stokes, www.dashannestokes.com/bio.html.
Quote:
“Civil Rights Movement Quotes (88 Quotes).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/civil-rights-movement.
Cover Image:
Morgan, Kevin. “Life of Black Community: Then VS Now.” Blackmattersus.com, July 27th 1016, https://blackmattersus.com/11938-life-of-black-community-then-vs-now/
First Redlining Image:
“Segregation Builds Barriers .” Indiana Legal Archive , Indiana Civil Rights Commission, www.indianalegalarchive.com/ej-case-study/.
Second Redlining Image:
Robert K. Nelson, LaDale Winling, Richard Marciano, Nathan Connolly. “Mapping Inequality,” American Panorama, ed. Robert K. Nelson and Edward L. Ayers. https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=9/39.7402/-85.3713&opacity=0.8&city=indianapolis-in.
Quote:
“Civil Rights Movement Quotes (88 Quotes).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/civil-rights-movement.
Cover Image:
Morgan, Kevin. “Life of Black Community: Then VS Now.” Blackmattersus.com, July 27th 1016, https://blackmattersus.com/11938-life-of-black-community-then-vs-now/
First Redlining Image:
“Segregation Builds Barriers .” Indiana Legal Archive , Indiana Civil Rights Commission, www.indianalegalarchive.com/ej-case-study/.
Second Redlining Image:
Robert K. Nelson, LaDale Winling, Richard Marciano, Nathan Connolly. “Mapping Inequality,” American Panorama, ed. Robert K. Nelson and Edward L. Ayers. https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=9/39.7402/-85.3713&opacity=0.8&city=indianapolis-in.