Racial Segregation and Concentrated Poverty: The History of Housing in Black America

I live in a beautiful suburb’s. I remember the beautiful upper class neighborhood of Myer’s park, Dilworth, etc in Charlotte, North Carolina, the beautiful smell’s of sweet rose’s, citrus, wisteria, honeysuckle, lavender, fresh smell of cut grass, etc.

I’m writing from Chicago as a Black African American woman experiencing something I don’t see discussed often enough. There is a quiet form of displacement happening to Black women homeowners through property damage, neighborhood mobbing, and the failure of government agencies to intervene. In my case, a large company damaged my sewer line and has used every possible avenue to avoid responsibility, while city systems that should protect residents have remained silent. What’s most alarming is that this type of damage and neglect effectively forces homeowners into financial distress — creating conditions where property is lost, seized, or acquired for dirt cheap in a market where property values are otherwise skyrocketing. What stands out most is how isolated Black women are when this happens — no headlines, no outrage, just sustained pressure until people give up or are pushed out. This is how displacement happens quietly, without formal eviction notices, but with the same outcome. I wanted to respectfully ask if you would ever consider speaking about this form of silent displacement. Your platform reaches people who might finally understand that this is systemic, not individual, and that silence itself is part of the mechanism. Thank you for the work you already do and for taking the time to read this.

Understanding based on race will keep you there period but based on race, ethnicity, etc! Will be a way out for mankind!

Book to read is called : The Color of Law. It's about steering and redlining

4 years later and everything in this video is STILL relevant.

Im gonna go half and half on this. Yea the government wanted us living like animals. But me coming up from Jamaican parents. Every month we washed down the stairs that people pissed and fcked in (like animals) - the little dinky patch of grass we had my mom got us to cut WITH RUSTY SHEERS and keep clean every Saturday. I swear we were the only ones on the block that made our little govt house look like something. You dont have to let your hood like like a hood. It could be a neighborhood. Take care of the little you have.

God bless this channel. I pray more of us wake up the the truth

My people our forefathers have suffered for so long and nw we are killing each other 😢

0:17 "It's by 👿design" is absolutely right💯 In the Midwest, I spoke up at many housing authority meetings, even though I didn't live there,🏠 because I had loved ones that did. I went to protest the way the stairs were built in a lot of buildings that have multiple level housing📶. The stairs were literally out of concrete with no carpet🚫, they were super steep⤴️ and each step was extremely small🤏🏾. With so many babies🚼 in the housing, that were growing up and learning how to crawl and walk up🆙️and down↘️ them stairs, I was concerned about their developing minds🧠 so I spoke up. This is why the Black Panthers stood their ground. Wishing everyone love, peace, wellness and success✨️🙏🏾

They woke up and then fell right back to sleep

Watching this is interesting as we now see houses are being made to be unaffordable

😢How does the government MAINTAIN the get to and how to breaker it up? You are right, the harm comtinues I haven't seen change in over 69 years.

All night all day all night son, FACTS! #💯💣

The history of housing in Black America is deeply intertwined with racial segregation and concentrated poverty, as systemic racism has shaped access to housing, wealth, and opportunities for generations. From the post-Reconstruction era through the 20th century, discriminatory policies like redlining, racial covenants, and the GI Bill’s exclusion of Black veterans systematically denied African Americans access to homeownership, which was a primary means of wealth accumulation. This created enduring patterns of segregated neighborhoods, where Black communities were often confined to areas with limited resources, high crime rates, and inadequate public services. The legacy of these practices is still evident today, with many Black communities facing persistent poverty and limited economic mobility. Tackling housing inequality requires addressing these historical injustices through policies that promote affordable housing, equitable development, and reparations for affected communities. Only by confronting these long-standing issues can we create an inclusive future where all Americans have equal access to opportunities and prosperity.

YouTube channels like this keep our Black history alive. Knowing our history is crucial for our survival. Keep up the good work. When I was in college I took it upon myself to learn about Black culture in every part of society. But the rub is when we have our own and it flourishes white supremacist to destroy it.

“Generations less tired than me… There is always another generation coming.” Thank you young people. Here watching you carry on and proud of you.

Wise lady! Thanks for reporting on this!

It's so sad to see how my african ancestors were manipulated. Black women were so classy with sundress and a hat to compliment it because their man was classy enough to dress up as well kids were disciplined and working one job was enough long hours but worth it.

My mom set the example for me. Floors kept washed and waxed, laundry had to be iron, whites had to be washed separately with ivory soap. Shoes had to shine hair braided and skin shined with gasoline.

Look at the streets, trash and needles. Nuff said