About
About
Our topic, redlining in Oklahoma City, will show the human results of a long history of systemic racism in the housing market. Although primary placed within the Human Experience, our project will also touch on how public policy has influenced racial and ethnic diversity. The practice of “redlining” – the Federal Housing Administration’s refusal to insure mortgages in or adjacent to African-American neighborhoods – was a formal part of housing policy from the mid-1930s until the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and later the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977. Although this systemically racists practice was deemed illegal over 40-years ago, the consequences of redlining, intended or otherwise, are still undoubtedly seen even today. Our proposed project is to build an interactive website that explores the after-effects of redlining through time and place using the voices of the residents of Oklahoma City communities. The project will combine both informal voice recordings and photographs from individuals who live in the differently coded neighborhoods with formal interviews during driving and walking tours with community leaders. Although the audience is primarily Oklahoma City, the product will be of interest across the country.
Subjects to be interviewed
In addition to commitments with Rep. Forrest Bennett, Rep. Cyndi Munson (HD 85) who represents NW OKC has agreed to participate as well as representatives from the Foundation for Liberating Minds, a nonprofit who seeks justice for the historically marginalized.
We intend to use our connections through Dr. Crispin’s Capitol Scholars class to invite additional representatives and city council members to contribute via walking or driving interviews. While elected officials and other community leaders will make up the formal component of the exhibit, the real value will be via contributions from ordinary people who live in Oklahoma City