Unmasking Intentional Racism in Historical Mapping: A Journey Toward Antiracist Geospatial Practices
Many of us are familiar with the disparities between neighborhoods in the United States—disparities in parks, pollution, schools, and infrastructure. But how did these differences come to exist? The truth is stark: they were meticulously designed through racist geographic practices. In my recent article on LinkedIn, “A Journey Toward Antiracist Geospatial Practices: Unmasking Intentional Racism in Historical Mapping,” I explore the deliberate design of inequality and its long-lasting impact on our communities.
Here’s a snapshot of the key ideas:
The Legacy of Redlining and Racist Zoning: Practices like redlining, racial covenants, and exclusionary zoning didn’t occur by accident. They were deliberate tools used to segregate neighborhoods, deprive Black and Indigenous communities of opportunities, and concentrate wealth and resources in predominantly white areas.
Structural Racism in Geographic Practices: Historic policies, like those of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), explicitly codified racism in housing. These policies not only shaped neighborhoods decades ago but continue to influence resource distribution and environmental conditions today.
The Role of Geography in Injustice: Geography and urban planning have never been neutral. From map-making during colonization to redlining maps in the U.S., geographic tools have long been used to distribute resources and power unevenly.
The Path Forward
Recognizing these injustices is only the beginning. As geospatial professionals, urban planners, and geographers, we have a responsibility to dismantle the racist legacies of our work. This means adopting antiracist geospatial practices, critically examining our methodologies, and ensuring that our maps and analyses contribute to equity and justice.
For those interested in learning more, I recommend exploring resources like Esri’s Living Atlas and Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America. These tools provide a vivid look at the history and consequences of redlining, offering a starting point for understanding and addressing these issues.
Read the full article on LinkedIn
Share Your Thoughts
How can geospatial professionals and urban planners embrace antiracist practices? What steps are you taking to ensure equity in your work? Let’s start a conversation about how we can use geography as a tool for justice.
