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>>> GREAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR
ANOTHER SPEAKER SERIES EVENT FOR
THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AT HUD.
I'M GUSTAVO VALASQUEZ, ASSISTANT
SECRETARY FOR FAIR HOUSING AND
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU,
NOT JUST HUD EMPLOYEES, BUT I
SEE PEOPLE THAT CAME FROM
OUTSIDE OF HUD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY
WHO IS WATCHING VIA WEBCAST.
WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC
TO DISCUSS TODAY, THE PROBLEM WE
ALL LIVE WITH, RESIDENTIAL
SEGREGATION AND THE IMPLICATIONS
FOR URBAN POLICY.
TODAY'S DISCUSSION PROMISES TO
BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING AND
IMPORTANT IN VIEW OF THE RECENT
UNREST THAT HAS OCCURRED IN
SEVERAL OF OUR NATION'S CITIES,
MOST RECENTLY BALTIMORE.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING IN THIS
BUILDING A LOT ABOUT BALTIMORE
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, ABOUT THE
DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE AND WHAT
WE CAN DO TO HELP IN THIS
SITUATION.
WHEN EVENTS LIKE THIS HAPPEN, WE
ARE REMINDED OF HOW RACIALLY
DIVIDED IN LARGE PART AMERICA'S
NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUE TO BE.
ACCORDING TO THE LAST DICENNIAL
CENSUS IN 2010, BLACKS AND WHITE
S LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH
HIGH MINORITY REPRESENTATION AND
RELATIVELY FEW WHITE NEIGHBORS.
ASIANS WITH A MUCH SMALLER
POPULATION IN MOST METRO AREAS
NEVERTHELESS LIVE IN
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS JOB A LITTLE
LESS THAN A YEAR, AND I TELL
YOU, MANY OF THE CRITICS THAT WE
HAVE OF OUR WORK COME TO ME AND
ASK ME WHY DO YOU WANT TO FORCE
INTEGRATION?
SEGREGATION MANY TIMES HAPPENS,
HAPPENS BY PREFERENCE, BY
PERSONAL PREFERENCE.
THEY CLAIM HISPANICS, FOR
EXAMPLE, LIKE TO LIVE NEAR AND
WITH OTHER HISPANICS.
THERE ARE LANGUAGE BONDS, THERE
ARE CULTURAL AND FAMILY BONDS,
SO THERE IS THIS PERCEPTION
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE
TRYING IN THE WORK THAT WE DO TO
ADVANCE EQUALITY IN HOUSING AND
IN NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT WE ARE
FORCING INTEGRATION.
I SAY TO THEM, WELL, NOBODY
DENIES THAT FAIR HOUSING IS
ABOUT CHOICE AND FREEDOM OF
HOUSING.
WE WANT TO CHOOSE AS LONG AS WE
CAN LIVE WHEREVER WE WANT TO
LIVE, WE SHOULD CHOOSE FREELY
WHERE THAT IS.
THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THAT CHOICE
IS LIMITED, WHEN THAT CHOICE
TURNS INTO LESS OPPORTUNITY
BECAUSE, REMEMBER, HOUSING IS AN
ANCHOR.
EVERYTHING REVOLVED ABOUT WHERE
YOU LIVE, OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR
KIDS TO GO TO BETTER SCHOOLS, TO
BE IN A SAFER NEIGHBOR, IN A
HEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOOD.
OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS EASY
TRANSIT AND BETTER JOBS.
SO THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THAT
CHOICE AND FREEDOM OF HOUSING IS
LIMITED INTENTIONALLY, AND WE
OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE EXTENT OF
THE PROBLEM, BUT A MEASURE THAT
YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, THE
DISSIMILARITY REMOVES ANY DOUBT
AND ACTUALLY SHOWS THE LEVEL OF
RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION BETWEEN
TWO GROUPS ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS
OF A CITY OR METROPOLITAN AREA.
VERY SIMPLE CONCEPT, AN INDEX
USES A NUMBER FROM ONE TO 100,
ZERO BEING COMPLETE INTEGRATION
AND 100 BEING COMPLETE
SEGREGATION, SO IF A CITY, THE
INDEX IS 65, FOR INSTANCE, THAT
MEANS THAT 65% OF WHITES WOULD
NEED TO MOVE TO ANOTHER
NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN THAT CITY TO
MAKE WHITES AND BLACKS EVENLY
DISTRIBUTED ACROSS
NEIGHBORHOODS.
CITY WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF
SEGREGATION HOVER AROUND A SCORE
OF 80.
BALTIMORE, JUST TO PUT IN
CONTEXT, DISSIMILARITY INDEX IS
75, ONE OF THE MOST RATIONALLY
DIVIDED CITIES IN THE NATION.
AND IN A NATION THAT MANY
CONSIDER TO BE POST-RACIAL,
AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE ALMOST
STWICE AS LIKELY�-- TWICE AS
LIKELY AS WHITES TO LIVE IN
SEGREGATED NEIGHBORHOODS.
I COULD GO ON AND ON TO TALK
ABOUT THIS TOPIC, BUT THIS
DISCUSSION IS GOING TO BE TURNED
OVER TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS, REAL
EXPERTS.
WE ARE SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE TWO
PHENOMENAL SPEAKERS TODAY TO
START US WITH THIS CONVERSATION
AND DEBATE ABOUT RESIDENTIAL
SEGREGATION IMPLICATIONS FOR
URBAN POLICY, WHAT WE CAN DO
ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE RICHARD RALSTON,
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT THE
ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE, AN
INSTITUTION ON THIS SUBJECT.
HE'S BEEN TALKING FOR A LONG
TIME ABOUT THIS.
HIS RECENT WORK HAS DOCUMENTED A
HISTORY OF STATE SPONSOR OF
RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION, A
RECENT REPORT IN MAKING�--
RICHARD RECENTLY WAS FEATURED ON
NPR AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE WITH BOTH RICHARD AND
SHERLIEN ON A PANEL ABOUT THIS
TOPIC RECENTLY.
IT WAS PHENOMENAL TO BE WITH
THEM AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE TO
HAVE THIS GREAT PHENOMENAL
SPEAKER, RICHARD RALSTON WITH US
TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE SHERLENE, NAACP
LEGAL DEFENSE FUND.
AFTER GRADUATING, SHE IS
ACCEPTED AS A FELLOW AT THE ACLU
AND THEN AS ASSISTANT COUNSEL IN
THE NEW YORK OFFICE WHERE SHE
LITIGATED VOTING RIGHTS CASES.
AMONG HER SUCCESSFUL LITIGATION
WAS THE LANDMARK VOTING RIGHTS
ACT CASE, HOUSTON LAWYERS
ASSOCIATION VERSUS ATTORNEY
GENERAL OF TEXAS N WHICH THE
SUPREME COURT HELD THAT JUDICIAL
ELECTIONS ARE COVERED BY THE
PROVISION OF SECTION 2 OF THE
VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
SHE EMERGED AS A HIGHLY REGARDED
CIVIL RIGHTS STRATEGIST AND
PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL WHO'S
WRITING, EXPERIENCES AND MEDIA
EXPERIENCE ENRICH PUBLIC DEBATE
ABOUT A RANGE OF POLITICAL AND
CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES.
WE'RE DELIGHTED THAT SHE HAS
ACCEPTED TO BE WITH US THIS
AFTERNOON.
BY THE WAY, THE PAST CHAIR OF
THE BOARD OF U.S. PROGRAMS OF
THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE, ONE
OF THE LARGEST PHILANTHROPIC
SUPPORTERS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND
JUSTICE ORGANIZATION IN OUR
COUNTRY.
WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
THEM IN A MINUTE.
I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT WE
ARE, BECAUSE THIS TOPIC IS NOT
JUST ABOUT EXPLAINING, TALKING
ABOUT THE PROBLEM WE ALL LIVE
IN, BUT ALSO WHAT ARE WE DOING
ABOUT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE
BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE
OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND THE
ENTIRE HUD ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN
VERY BUSY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE
CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM.
THE EFFORTS RECENTLY THAT WE'VE
UNDERTAKEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN
FINALLY PUBLISH ON NEW
AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR
HOUSING RULE AND INITIATIVE IS
IN PROGRESS AND WE HAVE BEEN
MAKING TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.
THE AFFH PROPOSED RULE NOT ONLY
REINFORCES THE FACT ETHAN AT
THIS TIMES REFERRING FEDERAL
FUNDS AND SUBSIDIES HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO FURTHER FAIR
HOUSING, THIS REPRESENTS ALSO A
21st CENTURY APPROACH TO FAIR
HOUSING AND WE ARE GOING TO BE
HOPEFULLY TALKING ABOUT THIS IN
A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I WANT TO
FIRST TURN IT OVER TO THE
SPEAKERS TO START OFF WITH THIS
CONVERSATION.
I WOULD WELCOME, OF COURSE, WE
WANT TO WELCOME QUESTIONS FROM
THE PUBLIC HERE AND FOR THOSE
WATCHING VIA WEBCAST, WE HAVE AN
EMAIL ADDRESS FOR YOU TO SUBMIT
YOUR QUESTIONS.
THAT EMAIL ADDRESS IS
FHEOSPEAKERSERIES@HUD.GOV.
PLEASE AS ON YOU HEAR THE
SPEAKERS�-- AS YOU HEAR THE
SPEAKERS, BEGIN THING ABOUT YOUR
QUESTIONS, SUBMIT THEM VIA EMAIL
AND WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU TO
START THIS DISCUSSION IN A
LITTLE WHILE.
I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO
RICHARD NOW.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND
RICHARD IF YOU PLEASE COME TO
THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANKS VERY MUCH, GUSTAVO,
AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR
INVITING SHARILYN AND ME HERE
TODAY.
50 YEARS AGO LAST WEEK MARTIN
LUTHER KING GAVE A COMMENCEMENT
SPEECH AT OBERLIN COLLEGE IN
OHIO AND IN THAT SPEECH, HE SAID
THE FOLLOWING.
LET NOBODY GIVE YOU THE
IMPRESSION THAT THE PROBLEM OF
RACIAL INJUSTICE WILL WORK
ITSELF OUT.
LET NOBODY GIVE YOU THE
IMPRESSION THAT ONLY TIME WILL
SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THAT IS A MYTH AND IT'S A MYTH
BECAUSE TIME IS NEUTRAL.
IT CAN BE USED EITHER
CONSTRUCTIVELY OR DESTRUCT TIFL.
WELL, 50 YEARS LATER, THINGS
HAVE NOT WORKED THEMSELVES OUT,
AS WE SAW IN FERGUSON AND
BALTIMORE AND SEVERAL OTHER
INCIDENTS IN BETWEEN AND MANY
OTHERS WHICH HAVE NOT GAINED THE
ATTENTION OF THOSE.
WE STILL, HOWEVER, MAINTAIN THE
MYTH THAT THEY WILL WORK
THEMSELVES OUT WITH MAYBE A
LITTLE BIT OF NUDGE FROM
GOVERNMENT, BUT BASICALLY
THEY'LL WORK THEMSELVES OUT.
THEY HAVEN'T BECAUSE THEY REST
ON ANOTHER MYTH, THE SEGREGATION
THAT WE EXPERIENCE, THEY REST ON
ANOTHER MYTH, NOT JUST THAT TIME
WILL WORK ITSELF OUT, WORK THEM
OUT, BUT THE MYTH THAT THE KIND
OF SEGREGATION WE HAVE IN THIS
COUNTRY, RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE COME TO
CALL DE FACTO SEGREGATION, SORT
OF AN ACCIDENT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE TO LIVE
WITH EACH OTHER, THE SAME RACE,
OR THERE'S BEEN SOME PRIVATE
DISCRIMINATION ALONG THE WAY OR
MAYBE AFRICAN AMERICANS DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE IN
MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS OR
MAYBE REAL ESTATE AGENTS WERE
STEERING THEM TO SAME-RACE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
DE FACTO.
THAT'S A MYTH.
THE REALITY IS THAT WE HAVE
SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH CLOSER TO
WHAT WE THINK OF AS THE JURY
SEGREGATION.
THE SEGREGATION THAT WE HAVE IN
THIS COUNTRY TODAY, THE
RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION THAT WE
HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY WAS
CREATED BY A RACIALLY CONSCIOUS
GOVERNMENT POLICY AT THE
FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS,
THAT WAS PURPOSELY DESIGNED TO
SEGREGATE THE RACES AND
SEGREGATE EVERY METROPOLITAN
AREA IN THIS COUNTRY.
NOW, WE SAW THIS THROUGHOUT
HISTORY.
IT USED TO BE WELL-KNOWN AND
I'LL COME BACK TO THIS IN A
MINUTE.
WE'VE NOW FORGOTTEN THIS HISTORY
AND BECAUSE WE'VE FORGOTTEN THE
HISTORY OF THE VERY AGGRESSIVE
ROLE, RACE CONSCIOUS, NOT THE
DISPARATE IMPACT OF NEUTRAL
GOVERNMENT POLICIES, BUT RACE
CONSCIOUS GOVERNMENT FOIL DESIGN
TO SEGREGATE OUR METROPOLITAN
AREAS, IT'S A HISTORY THAT WE'VE
FORGOTTEN AND BECAUSE WE'VE
FORGOTTEN IT, WE DON'T RECOGNIZE
THAT IT WILL TAKE EQUALLY
AGGRESSIVE POLICIES ON THE PART
OF GOVERNMENT TO REVERSE THE
SEGREGATION THAT WE'VE
ESTABLISHED.
NOW, AS GUSTAVO MENTIONED, THE
MANY SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN WRITING
ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
IT DIDN'T GET MUCH ATTENTION,
BUT IT HAS RECENTLY BECAUSE OF
BOTH FERGUSON AND BALTIMORE AND
THE EVENTS WITH WHICH YOU'RE ALL
FAMILIAR.
BOTH FERGUSON AND BALTIMORE WERE
SEGREGATED BY GOVERNMENT POLICY.
THEY WERE SEGREGATED AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL WITH LOCAL POLICY.
IN FERGUSON, THERE WAS AN
ORDINANCE PASSED BY POPULAR
REFERENDUM IN THE EARLY 20th
CENTURY DESIGNATING WHICH BLOCKS
AFRICAN AMERICANS COULD LIVE ON
AND WHICH BLOCKS WHITES COULD
LIVE ON.
WHEN THAT ORDINANCE WAS DECLARED
UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THE SUPREME
COURT, THE CITY OF ST.�LOUIS SET
UP A PLANNING COMMISSION AND
THAT PLANNING COMMISSION
ESTABLISHED ZONING RULES THAT
WERE RACIALLY BASED.
IF A NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGHOUT THE
20th CENTURY IN ST.�LOUIS, IF A
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS COVERED BY
RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS, THAT IS,
ATTACHMENTS TO DEEDS THAT
PROHIBITED RESALE TO AFRICAN
AMERICANS, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS
WERE ZONED FOR THAT REASON WITH
RESTRICTIVE�-- WITH PRIORITY
ZONING, WITH R-1 ZONING THAT
PROHIBITED THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ANY MULTI-UNIT DWELLINGS, THAT
PROHIBITED THE INTRUSION OF ANY
COMMERCIAL DWELLINGS.
IF A NEIGHBORHOOD HAPPENED TO
HAVE ANY AFRICAN AMERICAN
RESIDENTS, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS
ZONED R-3 OR R-4, PERMITTING NOT
ONLY SALOONS AND OTHER ILL
REPUTED BUSINESSES, BUT
FACTORIES THAT POLLUTED,
MULTI-UNIT DWELLINGS.
IT WAS TURN INTO A SLUM BY THE
ZONING POLICY OF THE ST.�LOUIS
PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE IT HAD
AFRICAN AMERICANS LIVING IN IT.
IN BALTIMORE, THERE WAS A
SIMILAR ORDINANCE THAT
DESIGNATED WHICH BLOCKS AFRICAN
AMERICANS COULD LIVE ON AND
WHICH BLOCKS WHITES COULD LIVE
ON, AND WHEN THAT ORDINANCE, AS
THE ST.�LOUIS ONE, WAS FOUND TO
BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THE MAYOR
OF BALTIMORE SET UP A COMMITTEE
ON SEGREGATION TO EFFECT THE
SAME POLICY THAT THE NOW DEFUNCT
ORDINANCE EFFECTED WITHOUT THE
ORDINANCE ITSELF, AND THE
COMMITTEE ON SEGREGATION, HEADED
BY THE CITY SOLICITOR.
THIS WAS NOT AN INFORMAL GROUP.
THE COMMITTEE ON SEGREGATION
SENT INSPECTORS FROM THE HOUSING
DEPARTMENT AND BUILDING
DEPARTMENT TO ANYWAY HOMES THAT
HAPPENED TO BE OCCUPIED BY
AFRICAN AMERICANS IN PRE-DOM
INSTANTLY WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS TO
FINE THEM OUT OF CODE AND FORCE
THE SALE OR VACATING OF THOSE
HOMES BY AFRICAN AMERICAN
RESIDENTS.
THE COMMITTEE ON SEGREGATION
TOOK THE INITIATIVE, IN
ORGANIZING NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATIONS THROUGHOUT THE
WHITE AREAS OF BALTIMORE, AND
THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS
HAD AS THEIR FUNCTION TO
CIRCULATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
ALONG ALL THE HOMEOWNERS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD TO ENSURE THAT THE
HOMEOWNERS IN THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BE MUTUALLY
OBLIGATED NEVER TO SELL A HOME
TO AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SO THAT
ANY HOMEOWNER COULD SUE ANOTHER
HOMEOWNER TO FORCE THE EVICTION
OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY IN
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THOSE WERE LOCAL POLICIES, BUT
FAR MORE POWERFUL IN THE
SEGREGATION OF OUR METROPOLITAN
COMMUNITIES�-- AND BY THE WAY, I
PICKED JUST NOW ST.�LOUIS AND
BALTIMORE ONLY BECAUSE THOSE
HAVE BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY,
BUT I COULD DESCRIBE SIMILAR
EVENTS IN EVERY METROPOLITAN
AREA IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT FAR
MORE POWERFUL WERE FEDERAL
POLICIES.
THE FIRST PRACTICAL POLICY THAT
WE�-- FEDERAL POLICY THAT WE
OUGHT TO TAKE NOTE OF THE PUBLIC
HOUSING.
PUBLIC HOUSING, LET ME REMIND
YOU, WAS ORIGINALLY HOUSING FOR
WHITE PEOPLE.
IT WAS NOT THE PUBLIC HOUSING
THAT WE THINK OF TODAY AS PUBLIC
HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME, POOR
MINORITIES.
IT WAS FOR WHITE PEOPLE BECAUSE
WE HAD A CIVILIAN HOUSING
SHORTAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
20th CENTURY AND PUBLIC HOUSING
WAS THE MOST DESIRABLE HOUSING
AVAILABLE.
THAT ANY FAMILIES, ANY MIDDLE
CLASS OR LOWER MIDDLE CLASS
FAMILIES COULD LIVE IN.
PUBLIC HOUSING WAS ORIGINALLY
ESTABLISHED FOR THE CIVILIAN
POPULATION DURING THE NEW DEAL
BY THE PUBLIC WORKS
ADMINISTRATION.
THE PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION
WAS HEADED BY THE MOST LIBERAL
MEMBER OF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT'S
KITCHEN CABINET, HAROLD ICKES,
THE FATHER OF SOMEBODY WHO IS
STILL ACTIVE IN POLITICS TODAY.
PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO NAACP
BEFORE HE CAME TO WASHINGTON TO
WORK IN THE ROOSEVELT
ADMINISTRATION, ESTABLISHED A
RULE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CALLED
THE NEIGHBORHOOD�-- PUBLIC
HOUSING CALLED THE NEIGHBORHOOD
COMPOSITION RULE AND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD COMPOSITION RULE
WAS THAT PUBLIC HOUSING WOULD BE
INHABITED ONLY BY PEOPLE OF THE
SAME RACE AS THOSE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT WAS
LOCATED.
AND SO PUBLIC HOUSING WAS
ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY UNDER THE PUBLIC WORKS
ADMINISTRATION AND I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT THE SOUTH, I'M
TALKING ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY, IN THE NORTH, THE
MIDWEST, IN THE WEST.
IN ST.�LOUIS, TO TAKE AN
EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A
NEIGHBORHOOD IN DOWNTOWN
ST.�LOUIS CALLED THE DESOTO CAR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT HAD BEEN AN INTEGRATED
NEIGHBORHOOD.
MANY URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS WERE
INTEGRATED AT THAT TIME BECAUSE
WORKERS HAD TO BE ABLE TO WALK
TO FACTORIES IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO THERE WERE
NEIGHBORHOODS�-- I'M NOT SAYING
EVERY OTHER HOME WAS OCCUPIED BY
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, BUT THERE
WERE LITTLE POCKETS OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS, IRISH, ITALIANS,
JEWS, AWE LIVING IN THE NAME�--
ALL LIVING IN THE SAME
NEIGHBORHOOD, WALKING TO WORK AT
THE SAME FACTORIES.
IN ST.�LOUIS, THE DESOTO
NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LIKE THAT.
IT WAS RAISED BY THE FEDERAL�--
REALIZED BY THE�-- RAZED BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CREATE A
BLACK PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT.
A COMPARABLE WHITE PUBLIC
HOUSING WAS SET UP ON THE SOUTH
SIDE OF ST.�LOUIS.
SO YOU HAD TWO ESTABLISHED, ONE
ON THE NORTH SIDE, ONE ON THE
SOUTH SIDE, SO SEGREGATE THE
CITY.
THIS WENT ON THROUGHOUT THE 20th
CENTURY.
IN 1949, PRESIDENT TRUMAN
PROPOSED THE NATIONAL HOUSING
ACT.
THERE WAS STILL AN ENORMOUS
CIVILIAN HOUSING SHORTAGE IN THE
COUNTRY AT THAT TIME AND THIS
WAS, AGAIN, PRIMARILY FOR WHITE
FAMILIES WHO COULD NOT GET
CIVILIAN HOUSING.
HE PROPOSED THE NATIONAL HOUSING
ACT AND CONSERVATIVES IN
CONGRESS RECOGNIZED THAT THE
BEST WAY TO DEFEAT THE NATIONAL
HOUSING ACT, THEY WEREN'T
OPPOSED FOR RACIAL REASONS TO
PUBLIC HOUSING, THEY WERE
OPPOSED BECAUSE THEY WERE
OPPOSED TO ANY PUBLIC VONCH IN
THE PRIVATE REAL ESTATE MARKET
AND THEY REALIZED THE WAY TO
DEFEAT PUBLIC HOUSING WAS TO
PROPOSE A POISON PILL AMENDMENT.
WE STILL SEE THOSE TODAY IN
CONGRESS AND THEIR AMENDMENT
PROPOSED BY CONSERVATIVE
REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS WAS THAT
HENCEFORTH, ALL PUBLIC HOUSING
HAD TO BE INTEGRATE�-- PUBLIC
HOUSING HAD TO BE INTEGRATED,
KNOWING THAT THE AMENDMENT
PASSED, SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS WHO
FAVORED PUBLIC HOUSING SO LONG
AS IT WAS SEGREGATED, WOULD VOTE
AGAINST THE ENTIRE HOUSING ACT.
LIBERALS IN CONGRESS, LED BY
SENATOR HUBERT HUMPHREY, PAUL
DOUGLAS, THE LEADING LIBERAL IN
THE SENATE, CAMPAIGNED AGAINST
THE INTEGRATION AMENDMENT IN
ORDER TO SAVE PUBLIC HOUSING AS
A WHOLE.
PAUL DOUGLAS GOT UP ON THE FLOOR
OF THE SENATE SAYING I THINK
WE'LL BE BETTER OFF IF WE ADOPT
SEGREGATED PUBLIC HOUSING THAN
IF WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HOUSING AT
ALL.
I'M NOT SURE HE WAS RIGHT, BUT
HE SUCCEEDED IN DEFEATING THE
INTEGRATION AMENDMENT, THE
NATIONAL HOUSING ACT WAS THEN
PASSED AS A SEGREGATED�--
CONTINUING SEGREGATED PROGRAM,
AND PUBLIC HOUSING WAS BUILT
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, MUCH
GREATER LEVEL THAN HAD EVER BEEN
DONE BEFORE, AS A SEGREGATED
PROGRAM.
IN ST.�LOUIS, AGAIN, YOU MAY BE
FAMILIAR WITH�-- OR SOME OF YOU
ARE PROBABLY TOO YOUNG, BUT
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE A LITTLE
BIT OLDER THAN SOME OF YOUR
OTHERS MAY REMEMBER THE PRUITT
IGO TOWERS WHICH BECAME THE
SYMBOL OF DYSFUNCTIONAL PUBLIC
HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY,
DYNAMITED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT WAS A
CONCENTRATED LOW INCOME FAMILIES
IN POVERTY, ON WELFARE,
UNEMPLOYMENT FAMILIES, PEOPLE
WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED.
PRUITT-IGO WAS BUILT AS TWO
PROJECTS.
THE PRUITT PROJECT WAS FOR
BLACKS AND THE IGO PROJECT WAS
FOR WHITES.
A SEGREGATED PROJECT.
HOW DID THE PROJECT BECOME ALL
BLACK?
THAT'S ANOTHER STORY OF FEDERAL
INVOLVEMENT THAT'S PROBABLY THE
MOST POWERFUL TOOL THAT THE
FEDERAL GOFD USED.
THE FEDERAL HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION, ONCE THE
CIVILIAN HOUSING SHORTAGE BEGAN
TO BE EASED, THE FEDERAL HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION BEGAN TO
GUARANTEE BANK LOANS TO MASS
PRODUCTION BUILDERS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF CREATING SUBURBS,
SUBDIVISIONS IN SUBURBAN AREAS
AROUND THE COUNTRY TO
SUBURBANIZE THE WHITE
POPULATION, AND THE CONDITION,
THE EXPLICIT CONDITION, NOT THE
DISPARITY IMPACT OF NEUTRAL
POLICIES, THE EXPLICIT CONDITION
OF FEDERAL HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION GUARANTEES A BANK
LOAN TO MASS PRODUCTION
BUILDERS, IS THAT NO HOMES BE
SOLD TO AFRICAN AMERICANS.
THAT WAS THE EXPLICIT CONDITION
OF THE FEDERAL HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION.
THE FEDERAL HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION EVEN PROVIDED
MODEL LANGUAGE FOR RESTRICTIVE
COVENANTS, THAT BUILDERS COULD
PUT IN THE DEEDS OF THE HOMES
THEY WERE BUILDING TO ENSURE
THAT NOT ONLY NO HOMES WOULD BE
SOLD TO AFRICAN AMERICANS, BUT
NO PURCHASER COULD RESELL A HOME
TO AN AFRICAN AMERICAN.
THAT WAS THE EXPLICIT CONDITION
PLACED ON THESE DEVELOPMENTS BY
THE FEDERAL HOUSING
ADMINISTRATION.
THE BEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THAT
IS PROBABLY LEVITTOWN IN NEW
YORK, 17,000 HOMES BUILT FOR
WHITES ONLY IN THE LATE 1940s
AND EARLY '50s.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD A
SONG THAT PETE SEG GER USED TO
SING ABOUT TICKY TACKY HOUSES ON
A HILLSIDE.
THAT WAS DESCRIBING A MASSIVE
DEVELOPMENT SOUTH OF SAN
FRANCISCO, ALSO RESTRICTED TO
WHITES ONLY.
EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY,
EVERY METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE
COUNTRY HAD THESE KINDS OF
DEVELOPMENTS AND THEY
SUBURBANIZED THE POPULATION.
IN ST.�LOUIS, THERE WAS ONE
LIBERAL DEVELOPER, A FELLOW BY
THE NAME OF CHARLES VADEROFF, A
DEVOUT CATHOLIC AND TOOK THE
SOCIAL GOSPEL SERIOUS WILL BE
ACHE DECIDED HE WAS�-- AND HE
DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO BUILD
TWO PROJECTS, ONE FOR WHITES,
ONE FOR BLACKS.
HE GOT AN FHA-GUARANTEED LOAN TO
BUILD THE WHITE PROJECT, HE
COULDN'T GET ONE TO BUILD THE
BLACK PROJECT, AND THEREFORE THE
BLACK PROJECT WAS MUCH POORER
CONSTRUCTION, FAMILIES WERE
RENTED HOMES INSTEAD OF
PURCHASING THEM.
THE WHITE PROJECT BECAME AN
AFFLUENT SUBURBAN.
THIS HISTORY OF HOW THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SEGREGATED THE
METROPOLITAN AREAS USED TO BE
WELL KNOWN.
IN 1968, GEORGE ROMNEY WAS�--
RICHARD NIXON WAS ELECTED AS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND HE APPOINTED A SECRETARY OF
HUD, THE SECOND SECRETARY OF
HUD, GEORGE ROMNEY, THE FATHER
OF THE RECENT PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE.
GEORGE ROMNEY ACKNOWLEDGED, HE
WAS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN, AND
HE WASN'T SAYING ANYTHING THAT
WASN'T FAMILIAR TO EVERY
EDUCATED PERSON IN THE COUNTRY.
GEORGE ROMNEY SAID THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS CREATED A
WHITE NOOSE AROUND THE BLACK
GHETTO, AND IT'S THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT'S OBLIGATION TO UNTIE
THAT NOOSE AND GEORGE ROMNEY
IMPLEMENTED A PROGRAM CALLED
OPEN COMMUNITIES IN WHICH HE
DENIED FEDERAL HOUSING FUNDS,
FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ANY PURPOSE TO
SUBURBS, AFFLUENT SUBURBS FOR
WATER PROJECTS, SEWERS,
SIDEWALKS, GREEN SPACE, ALL THE
THINGS THAT THIS DEPARTMENT NOW
DOES FOR URBAN AREAS AROUND THE
COUNTRY, DENIED FEDERAL FUNDS TO
ANY SUBURBAN SUBURB THAT DIDN'T
TAKE AGGRESSIVE STEPS TO
DESEGREGATE.
ZONING ORDINANCES, THAT DIDN'T
TAKE A FAIR SHARE OF PUBLIC
HOUSING, AND SUBURBS THAT DIDN'T
HAVE EXCEPT SUBSIDIZED MODERATE
INCOME HOUSING.
HE ACTUALLY WITHDREW FUNDS FROM
THREE SUBURBAN AREAS ON THIS
GROUND.
ONE OF THEM WAS BALTIMORE COUNTY
AND IN THIS, HE WAS SUPPORTED�--
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS
NAME, HE WAS SUPPORTED BY THE
VICE PRESIDENT, SPIRO AGNEW,
FORMERLY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN
BALTIMORE COUNTY AND WAS
FRUSTRATED BY THE PROBLEMS HE
HAD TO DEAL WITH IN THE CITY OF
BALTIMORE BECAUSE SUBURBS
REFUSED TO ACCEPT AFRICAN
AMERICANS.
WELL, FOR POLITICAL REASONS,
RICHARD NIXON EVENTUALLY REINED
GEORGE ROMNEY IN, THE OPEN
COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WAS
DISMANTLED, DISBANDED.
ROMNEY LIMBS WAS FORCED --
HIMSELF WAS FORCED OUT AS
SECRETARY OF HUD AND WE'VE HAD
NOTHING, I HAVE TO SAY, NOTHING
AS AGGRESSIVE SINCE IN THE WAY
OF AK ANNUALS AND TRYING TO
REMEDY THIS HISTORY.
BECAUSE WE'VE FORGOTTEN THIS
HISTORY, WE NO LONGER FEEL
THERE'S AN OBLIGATION TO REMEDY
AND BECAUSE WE'VE FORGOTTEN THIS
HISTORY, WE NO LONGER RECOGNIZE
HOW AGGRESSIVE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WAS IN SEGREGATING
OUR METROPOLITAN AREAS AND HOW
AGGRESSIVE WE NEED TO BE TO
REVERSE THOSE POLICIES.
SEEMS TO ME THAT WE NEED TO
BECOME REAC QUAINTED WITH THIS
HISTORY.
IF WE REACQUAINT WITH THIS
HISTORY, WE WILL NO LONGER
DECEIVE OURSELVES THAT THE MYTH
THAT TIME WILL CARE OF IT OR
DECEIVE OURSELVES THAT THE MYTH
THE REASON WE HAVE THE SEE GREG
SAYINGS IS THE DE�-- SEGREGATION
IS THE DE FACTO REASONS OF
PERSONAL CHOICE.
ONCE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CREATED THIS
PROBLEM, WE CAN BETTER RECOGNIZE
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS
TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO
GUSTAVO AND SECRETARY CASTRO IN
HIS ABSENCE AND TO MY COLLEAGUE
AND NOW FRIEND, RICHARD, AND
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS TOGETHER
FOR A LITTLE UNDER A YEAR AND
I'M ALWAYS STILL RIVETED WHEN I
LISTEN TO HIM GIVE THIS HISTORY,
WHICH I THINK IS SO POWERFUL AND
SO IMPORTANT.
AND, OF COURSE, I THANK ALL OF
YOU FOR COMING AND I THANK THE
MEMBERS OF MY TEAM FROM THE
LEGAL DEFENSE FUND WHO ARE HERE
TODAY TO SUPPORT THIS TALK.
I CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU HOW
IMPORTANT I THINK THIS TOPIC IS
AT THIS MOMENT AND IN A MOMENT
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY, AND HOW
IMPORTANT I THINK IT IS FOR
EVERY PERSON WHO WORKS FOR HUD
TO BE DEEPLY ACQUAINTED WITH THE
HISTORY THAT RICHARD HAS
DESCRIBED.
BECAUSE THE HISTORY IS IMPORTANT
NOT ONLY SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND
THE CONTEXT AND HOW WE GOT HERE,
BUT REALLY SO THAT YOU
UNDERSTAND, I THINK, WHAT
RICHARD WAS ALLUDING TO AT THE
END OF HIS TALK, WHICH IS THE
POWER, THE POTENTIAL POWER THAT
YOU HAVE TO POWERFULLY AFFECT
HOW WE LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND
TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE CRISES
THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING OVER THE
PAST NINE MONTHS.
SO IN THE SUPREME COURT'S
DECISION IN 1954 IN BROWN VERSUS
BOARD OF EDUCATION, CHIEF
JUSTICE EARL WARREN, WRITING FOR
THE ENTIRE SUPREME COURT, SPOKE
POWERFUL WORDS ABOUT THE HARM OF
SEGREGATION TO BLACK CHILDREN.
HE ENDORSED THE FINDINGS OF THE
KANSAS FEDERAL COURT, WHICH HAD
STATED THAT�-- AND I QUOTE�--
SEGREGATION OF WHITE AND COLORED
CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS A
DETRIMENTAL EFFECT UPON THE
COLORED CHILDREN.
THE IMPACT IS GREATER WHEN IT
HAS THE SANCTION OF LAW, FOR THE
POLICY OF SEPARATION OF THE
RACES IS USUALLY INTERPRETED AS
DENOTING THE INFERIORITY OF THE
NEGRO GROUP.
OFFENSIVE INFERIORITY AFFECTS
THE MOTIVATION OF A CHILD TO
LEARN.
SEGREGATION WITH THE SANCTION OF
LAW, THEREFORE, HAS A TENDENCY,
HE WROTE, TO RETARD THE
EDUCATION AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT
OF NEGRO CHILDREN.
AND CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN SAID
THAT THESE FINDINGS WERE AMPLY
SUPPORTED BY MODERN AUTHORITY,
AND HE CITED IN A FOOTNOTE THE
WORK OF DR.�KENNETH CLARK, THE
BRILLIANT SOCIAL SCIENTIST
DISCOVERED BY LDF LAWYER ROBERT
CLARK, NO RELATION, WHO
TESTIFIED IN�-- ROBERT CARTER,
EXCUSE ME, WHO TESTIFIED IN THE
BROWN DAYS.
AND KENNETH CLARK AND HIS
EQUALLY BRILLIANT WIFE MAMIE
CLARK, DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO
WORK THAT SUPPORTED THE
EDUCATION OF BLACK CHILDREN AND
THEY HAD OVER THE COURSE OF 15
YEARS PRIOR TO BROWN BEEN
ENGAGED IN INTENSIVE STUDIES
INVOLVING BLACK CHILDREN AND
LOOKING AT HOW THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM AFFECTED BLACK CHILDREN.
THEY HAD DONE THE INFAMOUS DOLL
TEST, MANY YEARS, BY THE WAY,
BEFORE BROWN, AND SO JUSTICE
WARREN CITED CLARK'S TESTIMONY
AND STUDIES BY OTHER SCHOLARS IN
THE BROWN CASE.
BUT IN FACT, IN BROWN, LDF
SUBMITTED AN APPENDIX TO OUR
BRIEF WRITTEN NOT ONLY BY CLARK,
BUT BY 30 SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, WHO
HAD STUDIED THE HARM OF
SEGREGATION, 30 SOCIAL
SCIENTISTS.
AND SO ALTHOUGH CHIEF JUSTICE
WARREN TALKED SOLELY ABOUT THE
HARM OF SEGREGATION TO BLACK
CHILDREN, THERE ACTUALLY WAS
CONSIDERABLY MORE DATA THAT WAS
PRESENTED TO THE COURT BY SOCIAL
SCIENTISTS IN BROWN AND IN THAT
APPENDIX, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE
HARM OF SEGREGATION TO OUR
SOCIETY AND THE HARM OF
SEGREGATION ON WHITE CHILDREN.
THEY SAID THAT SEGREGATION LEADS
TO A BLOCKAGE IN THE
COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERACTIONS
BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES.
SUCH BLOCKAGES TEND TO�-- IT
PERPETUATES RILG GID STEREOTYPES
AND ENFORCES NEGATIVE ATTITUDES
TOWARDS MEMBERS OF THE OTHER
GROUP, BUT ALSO LEADS TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIAL CLIMATE
WITHIN WHICH VIOLENT OUTBREAKS
OF RACIAL TENSIONS ARE LIKELY TO
OCCUR.
AND IN TALKING ABOUT THE HARM OF
SEGREGATION ON WHITE CHILDREN,
THE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS FOUND THAT
CONFUSION, CONFLICT, AND MORAL
CYNICISM MAY ARISE IN THE
MAJORITY GROUP CHILDREN.
AND THEY ALSO SAID THAT SOME
INDIVIDUALS MAY ATTEMPT TO
RESOLVE THIS CONFLICT BY
INTENSIFYING THEIR HOSTILITY
TOWARDS THE MINORITY GROUP.
OTHERS MAY REACT BY GUILT
FEELINGS WHICH ARE NOT
NECESSARILY REFLECTED IN MORE
HUMANE ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE
MINORITY GROUPS.
STILL OTHERS REACT BY DEVELOPING
AN UNWHOLESOME, RIGID, AND
UNCRITICAL IDEALIZATION OF ALL
AUTHORITY FIGURES, THEIR
PARENTS, STRONG POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC LEADERS.
THEY DESPISE THE WEAK WHILE THEY
OBSEQUIOUSLY AND UNQUESTIONINGLY
CONFORM TO THE DEMANDS OF THE
STRONG, WHOM THEY ALSO
PARADOXICALLY, SUBCONSCIOUSLY
HATE.
AND IT'S MY BELIEF THAT WHILE I
UNDERSTAND WHY CHIEF JUSTICE
WARREN WOULD NOT TALK ABOUT THE
HARM OF SEGREGATION ON WHITE
CHILDREN IN 1954 AND PERHAPS
WOULD NOT EVEN TALK EXPLICITLY
ABOUT THE HARM OF SEGREGATION ON
OUR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, IT'S MY
BELIEF THAT WE ARE LIVING TODAY
WITH THE RESULTS OF THE HARM
CAUSED BY ENTRENCHED RESIDENTIAL
SEGREGATION.
THE TWO AMERICAS PEOPLE SPEAK OF
IS NOT JUST ONE OF OPINIONS AND
PERSPECTIVES AND BELIEF.
IT REMAINS AN ENTRENCHED
PHYSICAL SEGREGATION CREATED BY
THE DECISIONS AND THE POLICIES
THAT RICHARD HAS SO POWERFULLY
DESCRIBED, AND IT HAS EVERYTHING
TO DO WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN
POLICING, IN UNREST, IN THE
UNFORTUNATE NEED IN 2015 TO
AFFIRM THAT BLACK LIVES DO
MATTER.
ALL OF THIS IS CONNECTED TO WHAT
THOSE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS FOUND
AND PREDICTED IN 1954 BUT WHICH
WE HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT
TOOK TO EVEN BEGIN TO END
SEGREGATED SCHOOLS, WHICH
ULTIMATELY WERE NEVER FULLY
ENDED, BUT THINK ABOUT WHAT IT
TOOK, THE MASSIVE INVESTMENT IT
TOOK TO COUNTER MASSIVE
RESISTANCE, YOU MUST ADMIT THAT
NOTHING NEAR THAT LEVEL OF
INVESTMENT HAS BEEN MADE TO UNDO
HOUSING SEGREGATION.
NOWHERE NEAR THE DOLLARS DEVOTED
TO THE CREATION OF THE SUBURBS
THAT RICHARD TALKED ABOUT, THE
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, THE
TAX AND MORTGAGE CREDITS, THE
SUPPORT FOR THE AUTO INDUSTRY,
THE RAZING OF COMMUNITIES TO
BUILD HIGHWAYS.
NOWHERE NEAR THAT INVESTMENT HAS
BEEN MADE TO DISMANTLE
SEGREGATION AND TO AFFIRMATIVELY
SUPPORT AN ECONOMICALLY AND
RACIALLY INTEGRATED AMERICA.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS HAVE
BEEN ON DISPLAY OVER THE PAST
MONTHS IN MY ADOPTED HOMETOWN OF
BALTIMORE.
IF YOU WATCH THE SCENES OF
UNREST AND THE ONE NIGHT OF
LOOTING OUT OF THE TEN DAYS OF
PROTEST, WHICH RAN ENDLESSLY ON
TELEVISION, YOU HEARD LAMENTS
ABOUT THE BURNING OF THE CVS
WHICH HAD TAKEN YEARS OF WORK TO
LURE TO NORTH AVENUE IN
BALTIMORE, BUT AS YOU LOOKED AT
THE SCENES OF LOOTING UNREST,
YOU PROBABLY COULD NOT SEE AND
PROBABLY COULD NOT IDENTIFY ONE
OTHER CHAIN STORE THAT YOU WOULD
RECOGNIZE FROM ANY STREET IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., OR NEW YORK,
EVEN THOUGH NORTH AVENUE IS THE
MAIN EAST-WEST THOROUGHFARE FOR
BALTIMORE CITY.
DID YOU SEE A BANK BURNING?
A SUPERMARKET?
AN EYEGLASS STORE?
A SHOE STORE?
A STARBUCKS?
NO, YOU DID NOT.
YOU SEE THE EASY TOBACCO MART,
THE CELL PHONE STORE, THE CHECK
CASHING PLACE.
ALL OF THIS LAMENT ABOUT
BUSINESSES WITHOUT ANY ANALYSIS
OF THE STRANGE COLLECTION OF
BUSINESSES ON DISPLAY IN THIS
MAIN THOROUGHFARE OF WEST
BALTIMORE.
I SAID ON THE BOARD OF THE
BALTIMORE LIBRARY, ONE OF THE
TRULY FINEST LIBRARIES IN THE
COUNTRY, FOR MANY YEARS, AND ONE
OF THE PROJECTS OF WHICH WE WERE
MOST PROUD AS THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WAS OUR ABILITY TO BRING FRESH
PRODUCE TO COMMUNITIES IN
BALTIMORE THAT WOULD FOOD
DESERTS.
WE CREATED A WHOLE SYSTEM
BECAUSE WE FIGURED THAT
LIBRARIES ARE IN EVERY
COMMUNITY, WHERE YOU COULD CALL
OR GO ONLINE AND ORDER THE
PRODUCE AND IT WOULD ARRIVE AT
THE LIBRARY ON TUESDAY AND YOU
COULD PICK IT UP.
WE WERE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TOO GET
FRESH FOOD AND PRODUCE IN
COMMUNITIES AROUND BALTIMORE.
SO THIS IS A MAJOR AMERICAN
CITY.
SO NOW WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
THE OPPORTUNITY IN A PLACE LIKE
BALTIMORE IS NOT JUST ONE
FOCUSED ON ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
POLICE OFFICERS WHO KILLED AN
UNARMED YOUNG MAN.
IT'S SUPPORT FOR THIS COMMUNITY
AT GETTING TO THE ROOT CAUSES OF
WHAT WE HAVE ALL SEEN AND
LAMENTED AS THOUGH IT HAS
NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR OWN
ACTIONS OR INACTIONS.
WE WERE A PART OF THE TEAM, LDF,
ALONG WITH THE ACLU, THAT SUED
HUD IN THOMPSON VERSUS HUD, THE
CASE THAT CHALLENGED SEGREGATED
PUBLIC HOUSING IN BALTIMORE.
THAT'S A CASE IN WHICH THE
FEDERAL COURT FOUND THAT HUD HAD
CREATED ISLANDS OF SEGREGATION
IN THE REGION THROUGH PUBLIC
HOUSING, THROUGH RACIALLY
SEGREGATED PUBLIC HOUSING.
THE SETTLEMENT IN THAT CASE IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AS
IMPORTANT AS THE FINDINGS.
WHAT WE LEARNED IN THAT CASE WAS
THE CONSEQUENCES OF ENTRENCHED
POVERTY AND DEEPLY DISTRESSED
NEIGHBORHOODS ON CHILDREN.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT THERE ARE
POOR PEOPLE.
IT IS THAT THE ENTRENCHED NATURE
OF POVERTY IN COMMUNITIES IN
BALTIMORE MEANS THAT EVERYONE
YOU KNOW IS ALSO POOR.
IT MEANS THAT THE VERY COMMUNITY
IN WHICH YOU LIVE IS SO DEEPLY
DISTRESSED THAT CHILDREN
INTERNALIZE IT, AND WE WERE ABLE
TO SEE THAT THERE WERE ACTUAL
BIOLOGICAL INTERNALIZATIONS OF
THE DISTRESS OF POVERTY IN
CHILDREN THAT AFFECTED NOT ONLY
THEIR PERFORMANCE AND THEIR LIFE
OUTCOMES, BUT THAT WE'RE
INCREASINGLY LEARNING CAN BE
PASSED ON FROM GENERATION TO
GENERATION.
AND SO PART OF THE SETTLEMENT
WAS ALLOWING FAMILIES TO MOVE TO
COMMUNITIES OF OPPORTUNITY,
PLACES WHERE THE DISTRESS IS NOT
SO ENTRENCHED AND SO DEEP AND
WHERE THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MOVE UP THE LADDER.
BUT ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE TO BE
ASKING OURSELVES WHY EVERY
COMMUNITY IS NOT A COMMUNITY OF
OPPORTUNITY AND HOW CAN WE MAKE
EVERY COMMUNITY A COMMUNITY OF
OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK YOU HOLD SOME OF THIS
POWER.
I'M PLEASED ABOUT THE NEW RULE
ON AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR
HOUSING.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I WANT
TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE AMBITIOUS
WITH THE EXECUTION OF THIS RULE.
TO ADOPT A HOLISTIC VIEW OF HOW
YOU CAN PRESS COMMUNITIES TO
AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR
HOUSING.
ONE ELEMENT OF IT THAT I HAVE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT A GREAT DEAL,
LARGELY INFORMED BY MY
EXPERIENCE IN BALTIMORE, IS THE
IMPORTANT ROLE OF TRANSPORTATION
TO THE ISSUE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, TO THE ISSUE OF
DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES.
AND BALTIMORE IS THE PERFECT
EXAMPLE.
BALTIMORE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS
A MAJOR AMERICAN CITY AND IT
CERTAINLY IS, BUT IF YOU TRY TO
TRAVEL IN BALTIMORE BY PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION, YOU WOULD NOT
CONSIDER IT A MAJOR AMERICAN
CITY.
I SEE BALTIMORIANS SMILING.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST AN
INCONVENIENCE.
THIS IS CRIPPLING FOR POOR AND
WORKING POOR PEOPLE.
WHEN WE WATCHED TOYA GRAHAM IN
BALTIMORE, THE MOM WHO WAS
CONSIDERED THE MOM OF THE YEAR
FOR SNATCHING HER SON FROM THAT
PROTEST AND SHE TALKED ABOUT
HAVING SIX CHILDREN AND BEING
UNEMPLOYED AND LIVING IN WEST
BALTIMORE, IF TOYA GRAHAM EVEN
GOT A JOB, LET'S SAY IN ONE OF
THE MANY MALLS SURROUNDING
BALTIMORE, IN WHITE MARSH, FOR
EXAMPLE, AND SHE WANTED TO GET
THERE BY PUBLIC HOUSING, IT
WOULD TAKE HER ABOUT TWO HOURS
AND I KNOW THIS BECAUSE MY
DAUGHTER JUST GOT A SUMMER JOB
AND WE TRACKED IT, WHAT IT WOULD
TAKE BY BUS.
WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IN
BALTIMORE FROM NEW YORK, I
THOUGHT I COULD TAKE BUSES AND
TRAINS EVERYWHERE.
I LEARNED THAT WAS NOT TRUE.
I LEARN THERE IS NO EAST-WEST
SUBWAY, BUT THERE IS A SUBWAY
THAT GOES FROM DOWNTOWN TO JOHNS
HOPKINS AND BACK.
I LEARNED THAT THE LIGHT RAIL
THAT WAS CREATED RUNS
NORTH-SOUTH AND REALLY IS
DEFINED TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH
THE UB USHS AND NOT TO�--
SUBURBS AND NOT TO JOBS.
I LEARNED WHEN THAT LIGHT RAIL
WAS BEING CREATED, ONE
COMMUNITY, QUITE AFFLUENT,
RUXTON, REFUSED TO ALLOW THERE
TO BE A STOP IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T
WANT THE TRAFFIC COMING OFF THE
LIGHT RAIL.
SO TO TAKE A BUS IN BALTIMORE
MEANS, FOR A WOMAN LIKE TOYA
GRAHAM OR SOME OF THE CLIENTS I
REPRESENTED IN MY EARLY YEARS IN
BALTIMORE THAT, IF YOU HIT THE
JACKPOT AND GOT A JOB, YOU WOULD
HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME PERHAPS
AT 5:00 OR 6:00 IN THE MORNING.
THAT MEANS LEAVING YOUR YOUNG
CHILDREN TO HAVE BREAKFAST,
DRESS, GET TO SCHOOL BY
THEMSELVES, GIVING
RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN ADOLESCENT
CHILD TO GATHER ALL THE CHILDREN
AND GET THEM TO SCHOOL, AND IF
YOU LEAVE YOUR HOME IN BALTIMORE
AND YOU GO OUT EARLY ENOUGH AND
YOU PASS THE BUS STOPS, YOU WILL
SEE THEM.
NOT IRRESPONSIBLE MOMS, LOVING
MOMS STANDING AT THE BUS STOP IN
THE DARK AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING
TO GET TO THEIR JOB.
IF THEY WORK A 12-HOUR SHIFT,
THAT MEANS THEY'RE NOT GETTING
HOME UNTIL 7:00, 7:30.
SCHOOL LETS OUT AT 3:00.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THEIR CHILDREN
IN THE FOUR HOURS AND WHAT
NARRATIVE HAVE WE ALLOWED
OURSELVES TO ABSORB ABOUT
PARENTS WHO DON'T WATCH THEIR
KIDS OR MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
KIDS COME HOME AND DO THEIR
HOMEWORK OR MAKE SURE THEIR KIDS
HAVE A HEALTHY DINNER AND DON'T
JUST EAT McDONALD'S?
THOSE ARE NOT THINGS THAT JUST
HAPPEN.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE
DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE
COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE
AND YOU PLAY A ROLE IN THAT
ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO AS YOU ENGAGE THIS ISSUE OF
THE AFFIRMATIVELY FAIR HOUSING
REGULATION AND THE GUIDELINES
AND YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR
INTERCHANGE WITH COMMUNITIES,
THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT HAVE
TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR
MIND RIGHT NOW.
BALTIMORE'S RED LINE, THE
EAST-WEST SUBWAY THAT HAS BEEN
PROPOSED FOR YEARS REMAINS IN
PERIL BECAUSE OF COMMUNITY,
PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT IT IN
WHITE COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE OF
OUR NEW GOVERNOR WHO'S SPOKEN
OUT AGAINST IT.
WHATEVER YOU DO IN THE CONTEXT
OF HOUSING HAS TO CONSIDER
HOLISTICALLY THE ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES
LIVING IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
AND THAT MEANS THAT HUD HAS TO
RETURN TO A KIND OF OPEN
COMMUNITIES IDEA THAT RICHARD
ROTHTEEN WAS DESCRIBING
ROTHSTEIN WAS DESCRIBING WAS THE
BRAINCHILD OF GEORGE ROMNEY, TO
THINK HOLISTICALLY ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN COMMUNITIES ARE
ALLOWED TO REMAIN ENTRENCHED IN
THE WAY THAT WAS DESCRIBED IN
THE BROWN BRIEF, TO LOOK AT WHAT
YOU SAW IN BALTIMORE AND FEEL
YOURSELF PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE CONDITION OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES.
AT LDF, WE REMAIN READY TO WORK
WITH YOU.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITIES.
WE FEEL THERE IS AN URGENCY IN
THIS COUNTRY LIKE NEVER BEFORE,
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL SEE US
AS A PARTNER GOING FORWARD NOT
ONLY IN BALTIMORE, BUT
COMMUNITIES AROUND THIS COUNTRY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU TO BOTH RICHARD AND
SHARILYN FOR STIMULATING THIS
TOPIC AND FOR A LOT OF GREAT
INFORMATION SHARED TODAY.
MANY OF THE THINGS I KNEW THAT
WE PERFECTLY KNOW HERE IN THIS
BUILDING AND I WANTED TO START
ASKING PEOPLE THAT WANT TO ASK
SOME QUESTIONS TO BOTH OF OUR
PANELISTS TO PLEASE STAY AT THE
MIRK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE�-- MIC
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE IF YOU HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL, BUT I WANT
TO REMIND FOLKS WATCHING VIA
WEBCAST THAT WE HAVE
FHEOSPEAKERSERIES@HUD.GOV, THE
EMAIL ADDRESS YOU CAN USE TO
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST QUESTION.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU FOR A VERY
POWERFUL�--
>> HOLD ON, WE CAN'T HEAR.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU FOR A VERY POWERFUL
PRESENTATION.
MY QUESTION IS FOR RICHARD.
YOU MENTIONED THAT AROUND 1968,
MOST WELL-EDUCATED PEOPLE IN THE
NATION KNEW ABOUT THESE FACTS
WHICH ARE WELL DOCUMENTED AND
CLEAR CUT, BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE
IN THE 21st CENTURY.
WHEN I WROTE MY BOOK ON
SEGREGATION, PEOPLE ASKED ME IF
IT WAS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA AND
WHEN I TOLD THEM IT WAS ABOUT
THE UNITED STATES, THEY SAID THE
UNITED STATES BEFORE THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ACT.
MY QUESTION IS TWO-FOLD.
ONE IDEAS DO YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE
THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THIS
WELL-DOCUMENTED AND CLEARCUT
FACT, AND THE SECOND IS WOULD
YOU�-- NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE
SPOT, RICHARD, BUT WOULD YOU
TAKE IT UPON YOURSELF TO EDUCATE
EVERY DECLARED PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE IN THE NEXT RACE ABOUT
THIS WELL-DOCUMENTED FACT AND
SEE IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
TO THE CAMPAIGN ISSUES?
>> WELL, ALL I CAN DO IS WHAT
I'M DOING AND THAT IS SPEAK TO
PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND TRY TO�--
EXCUSE ME?
[ INAUDIBLE COMMENTS ]
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, BEING SERIOUS
ABOUT THIS, I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANY POINT BECAUSE
THERE'S NO POLITICAL BASE FOR
THEM TO ADOPT MORE AGGRESSIVE
POLICIES UNLESS THERE'S A PUBLIC
THAT DEMANDS IT, AND SO I THINK
THAT OUR FIRST OBLIGATION IS TO
REAWAKEN, IN THE EDUCATED
PUBLIC, AN UNDERSTANDING OF
THESE ISSUES BECAUSE ONLY THEN
WILL POLITICAL LEADERS GET ON
BOARD.
IT'S UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT THEM
TO GO FAR IN ADVANCE OF WHERE
THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS GOING TO
GO.
I USED TO SPEND MOST OF MY TIME
STUDYING EDUCATION POLICY AND IN
THE COURSE OF THIS RESEARCH, I
LOOKED AT ALL OF THE TEXTBOOKS
THAT ARE COMMONLY USED TO TEACH
AMERICAN HISTORY IN AMERICAN
HIGH SCHOOLS.
THE MOST WIDELY USED TEXTBOOK IN
AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS TODAY,
AMERICAN HISTORY TEXTBOOK, IS
CALLED "THE AMERICANS," I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY HUNDRED POUNDS IT
WEIGHS, BUT 1200 PAGES THAT KIDS
HAVE TO CARRY AROUND.
IN THAT 1200-PAGE BOOK THERE'S
ONE PARAGRAPH DEVOTED TO A
SUBHEAD CALLED SEGREGATION IN
THE NORTH AND IN THAT ONE
PARAGRAPH, THERE'S ONE SENTENCE
DEVOTING TO HOUSING AND THAT
SENTENCE READS AS FOLLOWS.
IN THE NORTH, AFRICAN AMERICANS
FOUND THEMSELVES IN SEGREGATED
HOUSING.
WHOOPEE-DO.
THEY WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND
SAID HERE WE ARE IN SEGREGATED
HOUSING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TEACHING OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE'RE TEACHING
NOT ONLY WHITE YOUNG PEOPLE,
THIS WE'RE TEACHING BLACK YOUNG
PEOPLE THIS.
I SPEAK TO AUDIENCES OF BLACK
YOUNG AMERICANS AND THEY DON'T
KNOW THIS EITHER.
WE START WITH THE PUBLIC, WE
START WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,
EVERY TIME I SPEAK TO A COLLEGE
EDUCATION, TRY TOY INSPIRE
THEM�-- TRY TO INSPIRE THEM TO
GO AND DEMAND THE LOCAL SCHOOL
BOARD INCLUDE SOME OF THIS
HISTORY IN THE CURRICULUM
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO
START.
>> I THINK ALSO, HOUSING
PROFESSIONALS, NOT ONLY HERE,
BUT AT THE STATE AND THE LOCAL
LEVEL, TO PURPORT TO BE A
HOUSING PROFESSIONAL OF SOME
KIND AND TO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY
OF HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY, I
THINK, OR EVEN IN YOUR REGION, I
THINK IS SHOCKING THAT, YOU
KNOW, THAT YOU CAN BE QUALIFIED
TO SERVE IN THAT ROLE WITHOUT
UNDERSTANDING HOW YOU GOT WHERE
YOU ARE AND WHAT THE CONTEXT IS.
SO I'M A, YOU KNOW, ALSO LAW
PROFESSOR AND I BELIEVE IN, YOU
KNOW, SCHOLARSHIP AND SUPPORTING
THIS WORK WITH SCHOLARSHIP.
I HAVE�-- EVERY TIME WE'VE DONE,
YOU KNOW, THIS TALK, SAID THAT
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU
UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT RACE
IN AMERICA, YOU THINK OF
YOURSELF AS A CIVIL RIGHTS
HISTORIAN, LAWYER, ADVOCATE OR
ACTIVIST, CERTAINLY IF YOU THINK
THAT YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT
HOUSING, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE
READ FOUR BOOKS.
THE BOOKS ARE AMERICAN APARTHEID
BY MASSEY AND DENTON, BLACK
WEALTH/WHITE WEALTH BY OLIVER
AND SHAPIRO, SUNDOWN TOWN BY JIM
LOHEN AND I WOULD SAY THE WARMTH
OF MOTHER'S SONS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE READ ALL OF
THOSE BOOKS AND NOW YOU CAN
THROW IN THE ATLANTIC ARTICLE,
THE CODES.
THAT'S LIKE YOUR BASE.
I MEAN RISH IS BRINGING US
THE�-- RICHARD IS BRINGING US
THE REAL JUICY STUFF, BUT THAT'S
YOUR BASE TO EVEN UNDERSTAND THE
LANDSCAPE THAT WE LIVE IN.
EVERY PLACE THAT YOU WALK IN
THIS COUNTRY WAS CREATED, IT
DIDN'T JUST KIND OF HAPPEN, THEY
DIDN'T JUST FIND THEMSELVES, AND
I THINK THE NARRATIVE ABOUT RACE
IN THIS COUNTRY DENIES THAT.
IT MAKES IT AS THOUGH THINGS
HAVE KIND OF FELL OUT OF SKY AND
THEN HERE WE ARE AS OPPOSED TO
BEING INTENTIONAL AND CREATED BY
POLICY.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
DR.�ROTHSTEIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR
ARTICLE IN THE AMERICAN PROSPECT
IN WHICH YOU WROTE ABOUT THE
ROLE THAT�--
>> SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER,
PLEASE.
>> YES, I APPRECIATE
DR.�ROTHSTEIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR
ARTICLE IN AMERICAN PROSPECT IN
WHICH YOU WROTE ABOUT THE ROLE
THAT FEDERAL POLICY HAS PLAYED
IN CREATING THESE SEGREGATED
NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO WITH RESPECT TO THAT, CAN
YOU TALK ABOUT THIS ENORMOUS
WEALTH THAT WAS CREATED IN THESE
WHITE COMMUNITIES THAT CONTINUED
TO PERPETUATE ITSELF THROUGH
QUALITY OF SCHOOLS, QUALITY OF
LIFE, AND QUALITY OF HEALTH.
>> YES, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
QUESTION.
LET ME REFER BACK TO THE EXAMPLE
OF LEVITTOWN THAT I MENTIONED IN
MY TALK.
17,000 HOMES BUILT ON A RACIALLY
EXCLUSIVE BASIS BY FEDERAL
REQUIREMENT IN LATE 1940s AND
1950s, SOLD TO WHITE WORKING
CLASS FAMILIES, LOWER MIDDLE
CLASS FAMILIES, FOR BETWEEN 7-
AND $8,000 APIECE.
IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, THAT'S ABOUT
$125,000 OR TWO AND A HALF TIMES
NATIONAL MEDIAN INCOME.
A HOME THAT SELLS FOR TWO AND A
HALF TIMES NATIONAL MEDIAN
INCOME IS AFFORDABLE TO LOWER
MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, TO
WORKING CLASS FAMILIES.
MY UNCLE WAS A RETURNING WAR
VETERAN, WORLD WAR II, BOUGHT A
HOME IN LEVITTOWN AND WORKED AS
A PRODUCE MAN IN A SUPERMARKET.
THAT'S THE KIND OF FAMILIES WHO
MOVED INTO LEVITTOWN.
IN 1968, WE PASSED A LAW THAT
SAYS, OKAY, AFRICAN AMERICANS,
YOU'RE NOW FREE TO BUY HOMES IN
LEVITTOWN IF YOU WANT.
HOMES THERE TODAY SELL FOR
500,000, $600,000, SEVEN TIMES
NATIONAL MEDIAN INCOME.
FAMILIES WHO BOUGHT THERE IN THE
1940s AND 1950s GAINED 300,000,
$400,000 IN EQUITY FOR THEIR
GRANDCHILDREN OR CHILDREN GAINED
THAT AS THEY BEQUEATH THE HOMES
TO THEM OR THEIR INVESTMENT IN
THEM.
THAT WEALTH WAS USED TO SEND
WHITE CHILDREN TO COLLEGE, USED
TO SEND GRANDCHILDREN TO
COLLEGE, USED TO PROVIDE
RETIREMENT SECURITY SO CHILDREN
AND GRANDCHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE TO
SUPPORT THEIR PARENTS.
MEANWHILE, AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO
HAD SIMILAR JOBS TO MY UNCLE'S
WERE RELEGATE IN THE NEW YORK
AREA TO LIVING IN HARLEM OR
OTHER AREAS OF DENSE AFRICAN
AMERICAN POPULATION WITH NO
OPPORTUNITY TO ACCUMULATE
EQUITY.
AS A RESULT, TODAY, ON THE
NATIONAL BASIS, AVERAGE AFRICAN
AMERICAN FAMILY INCOMES, WHAT
THEY EARN FROM WORKING, AVERAGE
AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY INCOMES
ARE 60% OF WHITE FAMILY INCOMES.
AVERAGE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY
WEALTH IS NOW 5% OF WHITE
WEALTH.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 60% OF
INCOME AND 5% OF WEALTH IS
ENTIRELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO FEDERAL
POLICY, AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN A
LOT OF BALTIMORE AND FERGUSON
AND EVERY OTHER GHETTO IN THIS
COUNTRY SIMPLY BY LOOKING AT
THAT WEALTH ACCUMULATION THAT'S
OCCURRED OVER THE LAST TWO OR
THREE GENERATIONS AS A RESULT OF
FEDERAL POLICY.
>> YOU WANT TO�-- OKAY, WE HAVE
A�--
>> I HAD A QUESTION AS WELL AS A
COMMENT.
JUST APPRECIATE VERY MUCH HAVING
THIS EDUCABLE GROUP OF PEOPLE
BECAUSE SO MANY WHO ARE NOT
INTERESTED, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
NOT INTERESTED, BUT I WANT TO
CHANGE A LITTLE BIT TO GO TO A
DIFFERENT DIRECTION A BIT.
THE FIRST GENERATION OF PEOPLE
OF COLOR, MAINLY AFRICAN
AMERICANS, WHO MOVED TO THE
SUBURBS, WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR
BANK LOANS, FIGHTING FOR ABILITY
TO STAY IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT
BEING RUN OUT OF THE HOUSE,
THAT'S ANOTHER SIDE OF THIS SAME
COIN.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, HAVING THE DIFFICULT
CONVERSATION, AS I SAID IN MY
FAMILY, WE WENT TO CONTRA COSTA
COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,
THE FIRST WAVE IN 1968, AND THEN
WE WENT TO ORANGE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA N 1979, AND AS I
SAID, THE FIS BLACKS ON THE
BLOCK IN MANY�-- FIRST BLACKS ON
THE BLOCK AND IN MANY OF THESE
SITUATIONS, IN THE SCHOOLS.
SO HAVING THE DIFFICULT
CONVERSATION, JUST BEING THE
DIFFICULT CONVERSATION FOR MANY
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND NOBODY
WANTS TO TALK, BUT IF YOU ASK
PEOPLE AND YOU SAY, WELL, HOW
MANY BLACKS DID YOU GROW UP
WITH, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE TO
GET TO THE PERSONAL AS WELL AS
THE POLITICAL BECAUSE THE
GOVERNMENT IS US.
THE POLICYMAKERS REPRESENT US,
AND TO HAVE THE PLACE WHERE
PEOPLE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE
RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE LOOK
WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE ROMNEY.
NOBODY WANTS TO BE GEORGE
ROMNEY.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFICULT
CONVERSATION AND WAS RUN OUT OF
HIS JOB.
SO HOW CAN WE DO IT SO THAT
PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND FEEL THAT
THEY CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION,
AND THEN MOVE FROM HAVING THE
CONVERSATION TO ACTION?
WHAT CAN I DO BECAUSE NOW I
ACKNOWLEDGE MY RESPONSIBILITY,
BECAUSE MY GOVERNMENT IS ACTING
ON MY BEHALF.
>> I ACTUALLY DO WANT TO RESPOND
TO THAT BECAUSE THIS, AGAIN,
GOES BACK TO WHAT I THINK IS
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE IN A�-- AS
WE ALL ARE, IN A FAMILY, YOU
PROBABLY KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT
YOUR FAMILY HISTORY.
MAYBE NOT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO
KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW SOMETHING.
YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
STORY.
YOU TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE
STRUGGLE OF YOUR MOM OR YOUR DAD
OR YOUR GRANDPARENTS OR YOU CAN
TALK ABOUT THE GRANDDAD WHO
WORKED WITH THE PRODUCE MAN IN
THE STORE.
WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
HISTORICAL STORY OF OUR FAMILY.
WE DON'T WAIT FOR OTHER PEOPLE
TO COME AND SAY, I DO KNOW THAT
YOUR DAD WAS AN IMMIGRANT?
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT YOUR MOM
DID WHEN SHE WAS IN SCHOOL.
WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
STORY AND WE TELL OTHERS THAT
STORY.
THE STORY THAT RICHARD JUST
DESCRIBED IS A STORY HUD SHOULD
BE TELLING.
YOU SHOULD BE TELLING YOUR OWN
STORY.
PART OF WHAT ALLOWS THE PERSONAL
TO COME FORWARD IS WHEN WE ALLOW
THE CONTEXT TO BE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT TAKES RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE TRUTH OF ITS OWN
ACTIONS, NOT REQUIRING THE
PUBLIC TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THAT STORY.
SO LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THE TERRIBLE
ECONOMIC AND HOUSING CRISIS OF
2008 WHICH PEELED BACK THE
BELIEF BY MANY MIDDLE CLASS
AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT THEY WERE
IN FACT MIDDLE CLASS.
THEY LEARNED THAT THEY WERE
WHITE-KNUCKLE MIDDLE CLASS,
RIGHT?
TWO PAYCHECKS AND IT'S A RAP.
THE WEALTHIEST BLACK COUNTY IN
THE COUNTRY SUFFERED DEVASTATED
LOSSES AND WHILE HOME OWNERSHIP
REMAINS THE CENTRAL CORE OF
BUILDING WEALTH FOR MIDDLE CLASS
FAMILIES, 25% OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS FOUND THEMSELVES
EITHER IN FORECLOSURE,
FORECLOSED UPON, OR IMMINENT
FORECLOSURE DURING THAT CRISIS.
THE NARRATIVE THAT EMERGED
DURING THE CRISIS VERY QUICKLY
BECAME ONE ABOUT SUBPRIME LOANS,
BUT WHAT ABOUT SUBPRIME LOANS AS
A KIND OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR
BLACK PEOPLE THAT HAD GONE AWRY.
IT ACTUALLY WAS A MOMENT IN
WHICH THE STORY ABOUT HOUSING
NEEDED TO BE TOLD.
THE STORY ABOUT WHY AFRICAN
AMERICANS, EVEN IN THE
WEALTHIEST BLACK COUNTY IN THE
COUNTRY, WERE WHITE-KNUCKLE
MIDDLE CLASS.
WHAT WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT WHAT
THEY HAD ACCUMULATED IN TERMS OF
WEALTH AND WHAT THEIR WHITE
COUNTERPARTS HAD ACCUMULATED IN
NEARBY COUNTIES?
WHY IS IT STILL, AS OLIVER AND
SHAPIRO TAUGHT US, THAT WHEN A
PARENT DIES FOR MEMBERS OF THE
BLACK COMMUNITY, BLACK PEOPLE BY
AND LARGE INHERIT DEBT AND WHEN
A PARENT PASSES ON IN THE WHITE
COMMUNITY, WHITES BY AND LARGE
INHERIT WEALTH?
THAT WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
CLEAN ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN
THE HOUSING MARKET, ABOUT THE
ROLE THAT HUD PLAYED OR DIDN'T
PLAY, ABOUT WHAT THIS HISTORY
IS.
AND YET, IT WAS NOT AN
OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS TAKEN, AND
INSTEAD, WE BECAME FURTHER
ENTRENCHED IN THE STORY ABOUT
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE HOMEOWNERS
AND WHO ARE NOT.
SO I WOULD SAY IT REALLY BEGINS
WITH EACH ASPECT, NOT JUST HUD,
BUT EACH ASPECT OF OUR
GOVERNMENT AT BOTH THE STATE AND
THE FEDERAL LEVEL TAKING
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS OWN
HISTORY, USING OPPORTUNITIES
LIKE THIS TO TELL THAT HISTORY,
SO THAT IT BECOMES THE
COMFORTABLE CONTEXT IN WHICH
PEOPLE CAN TALK ABOUT THEIR OWN
EXPERIENCES, WHICH IS SOMETIMES
QUITE PAINFUL AND WHICH IN THIS
COUNTRY WE'VE BEEN VERY OFTEN
TAUGHT TO FEEL ASHAMED OF.
YOU KNOW, LOSING YOUR HOME IS A
SOURCE OF SHAME FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT'S DISCONNECTED SOMEHOW,
THE NARRATIVE OF HOW THAT
HAPPENED, FROM ALL THE POLICIES
THAT CREATED THAT TENUOUS
POSITION THAT TOO MANY
HOMEOWNERS FOUND THEMSELVES IN.
SO I WOULD SAY, YES, IT'S
PERSONAL, BUT IT BEGINS WITH THE
PUBLIC STORY ABOUT HOW WE GOT
HERE FROM PUBLIC AGENCIES AND
PUBLIC ACTORS WHO CREATED
POLICIES, WHO SHOULD BE ABLE TO
SAY, YOU KNOW, WE MESSED UP.
WE DID THIS AND THAT WAS WRONG.
WE DID THIS AND THAT WAS WRONG.
WE'RE TRYING A NEW THING.
THIS IS THE HISTORY.
THIS IS WHY THIS POPULATION
STARTED IN THAT DIFFERENT PLACE
THAN THAT POPULATION.
THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE ON SEE
HAPPENING MORE.
WE DO IT IN THE COURSE OF
LITIGATION, IT DOESN'T BECOME
PUBLIC, IT'S NOT A COMMERCIAL,
BUT WE ALWAYS MINE THAT HISTORY
TO TRY AND GIVE A CONTEXT,
WHETHER YEAR TALKING ABOUT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN SCHOOL
ADMISSIONS, HOUSING
DISCRIMINATION, VOTING
DISCRIMINATION, BECAUSE WE
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT
CONTEXTUAL STORY TO
UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE TODAY
AND HOW WE GET TO THE NEXT STAGE
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BRING US
TOWARDS EQUALITY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE REACHED THE TOP OF THE
HOUR.
I'M SORRY WE COULDN'T GET TO THE
EMAIL QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANT
TO SAY THAT I THINK FOR
EVERYBODY HERE, THIS IS
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION IN TODAY'S CONTEXT,
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT FOR WHERE
WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO HERE AT
HUD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE BOTH OF YOU.
I THINK WE ARE, AS YOU POINTED
OUT, VERY CLOSE TO THE
PUBLICATION OF OUR AFFIRMATIVELY
FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING AND THIS
CONVERSATION, I THINK, GIVES US
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO
THE FINISH LINE THE PROPER WAY,
MAKING SURE THAT, AS YOU SAY, WE
REACHED THAT HOLISTIC APPROACH,
AND I THINK WE ARE GETTING
THERE.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND TO BOTH
OF OUR PANELISTS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
YOU TO BE HERE TODAY AND
EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT
AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
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