Mapping Inequality & Reclaiming Place – Demolition of a Neighborhood

Mapping Inequality & Reclaiming Place – Demolition of a Neighborhood

In 1956, congress passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act and created a vast interstate highway network across the country. It encompassed a 41,000 system that connected populations of more than 100,000 residents. Completed in the 1990’s and at a cost of a hundred billion dollars, it profoundly changed the landscape of America and how citizens travel and conduct business.

Interstate 10 was one of the largest interstate highways built with a length of 2,500 miles. It spans from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California. Interstate 10 made its way through El Paso in the early 1960’s. Much of the interstate would cut through existing El Paso neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park, Rio Grande, Downtown and Sunset Heights. Large parcels of land were bought out and families left their homes. Much of this demolition happened in El Paso’s then Eastside which included Lincoln Park Neighborhood, the epicenter for El Paso’s African American community. A large amount of homes and businesses were lost despite a nationwide protest to save these communities from erasure and possible health hazards coming from construction and automobiles.

This map from the “Mapping Inequality” project documents redlining in El Paso. Dating back to the 1930s, redlining was a widespread, discriminatory practice that started during the New Deal-era when the United States government began offering government-insured mortgages to prevent mass foreclosures during the Great Depression. As the program grew, the government began adding qualifications to who could qualify for these mortgages based on the value and location of homes. Color-coded maps were used to evaluate the risk associated with the loan and, across the United States, Black and other non-white neighborhoods were consistently deemed high risk and circled with a red line. By labeling these areas high risk, banks and other mortgage agencies were able to deny loans to people of color. Though redlining was ultimately deemed illegal under the Fair Housing Act of 1968, its effects are still felt today. Redlining inhibited families from upward economic mobility during an era of unprecedented economic growth post-WWII and also restricted movement within cities.

As a result, the majority of El Paso’s historic Black homes and businesses are located within these redlined areas. A current list of identified locations is available here on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4DW2ao2WTipU58G27

This object is currently on view in the El Paso Museum of History's newest exhibition Still We Rise: El Paso's Black Experience on view until January 2024.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: Robert K. Nelson, LaDale Winling, Richard Marciano, Nathan Connolly, et al., “Mapping Inequality,” American Panorama, ed. Robert K. Nelson and Edward L. Ayers, accessed September 29, 2023, https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/[YOUR VIEW].

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

EPCC Health Program Receives HOPE Funding

In February, a grant from Project Hope supported the creation ...

Memories w/ friends

A few friends enjoy each others company and the view of El ...

My family and me during the 2016 Christmas event

This is a picture of my family and me during the 2016 Christmas ...

El Paso Star

This picture represents El Paso and everyone who lives here. It ...

El Paso Star

The El Paso Star overlooking downtown with the sunset in the ...

Overview of El Paso

Overview of Downtown El Paso

Our roots

Teaching my daughter about her Mexican heritage.

Podium Finish Sport Boutique

The Podium created by Jo Ann Underwood. By a passion of ...

Cristina Fernandez joins Podium Finish Sport Boutique

Cristina Fernandez joins PodiumFinish Sport Boutique on her ...

My friends and I enjoying Chalk the Block

Chalk the Block was a beautiful experience, especially with my ...

City Marshal John B. Tays

John B. Tays a former Texas Ranger (Salt War fame), served as El ...

Kress Store, El Paso, TX, circa 1945

This is an old photo of the Kress store between the 1940-1949's.

Baseball Snack the El Paso Way!

A night at the Ballpark celebrated with a unique El Paso flair!

San Jacinto Plaza

Historic San Jacinto Plaza located in the heart of downtown El ...

San Jacinto Plaza, El Paso, TX circa 2017

Historic San Jacinto Plaza located in the heart of downtown El ...

San Jacinto Plaza

Historic San Jacinto Plaza located in the heart of downtown El ...

San Jacinto Plaza

Historic San Jacinto Plaza located in the heart of downtown El ...

San Jacinto Plaza

Historic San Jacinto Plaza located in the heart of downtown El ...

Youth Skateboarding

Kids looking for places to skate and shoot video

Bike Rentals, El Paso, TX circa 2019

KIDS RENTED BIKES AND RIDING AROUND TOWN

1st visit

Our first visit to the El Paso Digital wall

EPHP Towntalk Sports El Paso High school football media guide

The cover for the El Paso HeraldPost Towntalk Sports El Paso , ...

August 3rd Community Memorial Service

The City of El Paso is hosted a Community Memorial Service to ...

home.search_collection