Ypsilanti Historical Society
Legacy of historical redlining in Ypsilanti, MIIn Large Cities, Black Communities Breathe Contaminated Air. What About in Small Cities?
Abas Shkembi
(Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health)
People of color across the US have long been disproportionately burdened by environmental pollution. In small cities, it's not always entirely apparent why...
...while in larger cities, the reason is not so hard to find. Detroit, Michigan is one of the most polluted cities in America, and Black and Hispanic communities in the city bear the brunt of this pollution. These disparities in pollution can be linked to a long history of racial, residential segregation.
This segregation in big cities in the US, like Detroit, has been around for a long time. From 100 years ago to today, much of this segregation can be traced back to historical governmental policies, such as redlining, that influenced who can buy a home where.
In smaller cities, this history is often invisible. In this case, we will explore the city of Ypsilanti, Michigan - located about 30 miles west of Detroit - and its forgotten history of segregation and disparities in pollution.
Objectifs pédagogiques
- Learn about environmental injustices in a smaller city
- Understand how historical policies have influenced environmental injustices today
- Investigate structural racism when the evidence is invisible