PolicyLink - Repairing Roots: Historic Black Towns and Spatial Reclamation
From PolicyLink:
Historically Black towns and settlements, known by various names, such as Freedmen's settlements or Freedmen’s colonies, have endured significant economic, environmental, and social challenges to secure their place in the future. Continued economic, environmental, and climate threats jeopardize their ability to thrive for generations to come. What if a future were guaranteed for these communities? What would it take to achieve this? Repairing Roots: Historic Black Towns and Spatial Reclamation explores how these communities can guide national and local efforts for reparative spatial justice and emphasizes that their preservation and prosperity should be a top priority for policymakers, philanthropic organizations, and public officials. It calls for an approach led by these communities themselves, centering their voices in shaping the path to lasting repair and renewal.
Read the Executive Summary (English)
A Brief History of Black Towns and Settlements
More than 1,200 historically Black towns were founded during the years of Reconstruction and at the end of the 19th century continuing into the early 20th century, but several were established long before the Civil War. Historic Black towns (both incorporated and unincorporated) can be understood as settlements that are predominantly inhabited and governed by Black people and were established to create safe and autonomous communities amidst widespread racial discrimination and violence. From coast to coast and in each pocket of the US, Black entrepreneurs, farmers, and professionals broke ground in new locations throughout Florida, California, Oklahoma, Texas, and beyond. In places like Oklahoma, for example, Black families and individuals thrived economically and politically without the violent oversight and control of white supremacist culture and policies.
The profound threats confronting these communities require an approach that enables stakeholders to grapple with the conditions endangering their survival and actively support their future resilience and thriving. Reparative spatial justice provides a vital framework for addressing historical harms while forging inclusive, equitable spatial futures that encompass housing and land rights.
Download at the link here: https://spatialfutures.org/resources/repairing-roots