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.

Área: Central / Downtown

Fuente: 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].

Cargado por: El Paso Museum of History

Comentarios

Hacer un comentario
Gracias por su comentario

Reportar esta entrada

Elige la razón más importante para este reporte

Tu nombre

Tu correo electrónico

Detalle opcional

Gracias por su reporte

Más sobre la misma comunidad-colección

San Jacinto Plaza Opening-2016.

Performers playing at the San Jacinto Plaza Openign-2016.

La apertura de San Jacinto Plaza - 2016

Performers at the San Jacinto Opening Celebration having a good ...

La apertura de San Jacinto Plaza - 2016

People enjoying their time at the San Jacinto Plaza ...

EPCC conferencia de amor 2016

EPCC holds yearly love conference, Mary Yanez, Irma Rodriguez, ...

Libreta de ahorros de 1950 del banco El Paso State National Bank

Books used for savings in 1950's at State National Bank El Paso.

La apertura de San Jacinto Plaza - 2016

The opening of the San Jacinto Plaza Opening-2016. The Band ...

Museo del Holocausto

Holocaust Museum 2016

Ángel de la Guarda - El Paso, Texas

This is the "Guardian Angel" mural in Segundo Barrio.

Mural de Club de Niños y Niñas

This is the "Boys & Girls Club" mural in Segundo Barrio

El Corrido del Segundo Barrio

This is "El Corrido del Segundo Barrio" mural.

SIDA - 1988

This is the "AIDS" mural in Segundo Barrio

El Chuco y Que / El Paso So What !? - 1991

This is the "El Chuco y Que" mural.

Lápida de John Wesley Hardin

John Wesley Hardin's grave at Concordia cemetery. Hardin was a ...

Lápida de John Wesley Hardin

John Wesley Hardin's grave marker in Concordia Cemetery. Hardin ...

Lápida de John Selman

John Selman's grave marker in Concordia cemetery, John Selman is ...

Estatua del Soldado de caballería

Cavalryman statue dedication ceremony as reported by the El Paso ...

Los Lagartos

Statue of alligators inspired by popular alligators that once ...

Erase una vez fuimos matachines.

My mom forced us to do this and I hated it. Now, I'm glad I did ...

Fray Garcia de San Francisco

194 Pioneer Plaza 79901

Busto de bronce de Abraham Lincoln

This bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln was sculpted by artist ...

Cielo en la tierra - El Paso, Tejas

These beautiful flowers located at the downtown mural pathways. ...

"Reflexiones del Desierto" mural de pasarela

This mural represents strength and captures El Paso/Juarez ...

home.search_collection