Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News)– When the idea of the “Run the Redline” race first came up at the CNY Fair Housing office, Sally Santangelo, Fair Housing’s executive director, knew that her organization was onto something.
It would be a way for people to experience the lasting effects of redlining firsthand.
“We’re always looking for ways to educate people about the history of housing discrimination and segregation in our community,” Santangelo said. “We were talking about being in the neighborhoods that have historically been subjected to redlining and how different an experience it is than just seeing them on a map.”
The practice of redlining dates back to the 1930s, when the Federal Government decided to withhold loans from homeowners in what it deemed “high-risk” neighborhoods. It was coded language for areas where non-whites lived.
In 1937, a Home Owner’s Loan Corporation map of Syracuse characterized the city into four areas: best, still desirable, definitely declining, and hazardous. Without a second thought, communities with significant numbers of minorities were classified as hazardous and outlined in red.
Those strokes of a pen laid the foundation for Syracuse to become one of the most segregated cities in the country. Almost 90 years later, the map’s effects are still felt today.
“There are still blocks of Syracuse that are vacant because of the redlining that occurred in 1937,” Santangelo said.
The race will begin and end at the Everson Museum of Art on Harrison Street and go through many of the redlined areas in and around downtown Syracuse.
“We hope that the race will bring more awareness for people who may not have a full appreciation of this historical practice,” Santangelo said. “And we hope it brings a new experience for those who are aware of redlining.”
The five-kilometer race is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 17.
