‘The Color of Law’ unveiled truths that Black Americans have always known | Opinion

“The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein illustrates the dichotomy between privilege, legal considerations, and government subsidies for housing that were extended to white Americans for generations. This led to strategic de jure segregation and the subsequent degradation of black Americans.

The book outlines several instances where government officials, realtors, developers, appraisers, city leaders, home associations, law enforcement, the court system, and your friendly unassuming neighbor contributed to the problem.

Federal, state, and local governments purposely created segregation in every metropolitan area in the nation, the author concludes, writing that the government was not following pre-existing racial patterns; it was imposing segregation where it hadn’t previously taken root.

From my perspective as a black female REALTOR (a member of the The National Association of REALTORS®) and a REALTIST (a member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers®) with a background in psychology, education, and biology, there is a much bigger picture that can be framed from Mr. Rothstein’s research. It is the picture of perception vs. reality and how de jure segregation along with separate and unequal community standards, helped to shape a negative black identity in the eyes of white America.

To be fair, the author does not imply that segregated housing and communities single-handedly created the racial disparities that we still battle today; rather it was the unequal and unjustifiable practices and policies that flowed through the federal, state, and local governments into these segregated communities that are the real culprit.

Cultural identity isn’t created overnight, to the contrary it is something that is incubated over many generations. In academic circles, identity is often argued in terms of nature (one’s biological and genetic predispositions) vs. nurture (the influence of learned behavior and environmental factors). Throughout this debate, many studies have been conducted over the years showing just how powerful one’s environment is on their identity. A large part of your environment is your community; the resources available, the quality standards of the area, and the choice you have or lack thereof to move freely within the community. Whether these factors are controlled by choice or due to extenuating circumstances, they all play a critical role in helping to inform us and others of who we are.

Mr. Rothstein presents 60 years of evidence demonstrating how the disinterest of the federal, state, and local governments to invest in housing Black Americans in an equitable way contributed not only to the creation of slums and the stigma that comes along with them, but also helped fuel the perception of inferiority that African Americans still fight to overcome today.

There is nothing comparable to the effort that local leaders put forth to make sure their white constituents had access to lenient loan funding sources through policies created by the VA, FHA, and others. These policies supported the white need for adequate housing, appealing community planning and neighborhood resources, all intending to decrease overcrowding and provide a stable comfortable environment. The creation of a strong white middle-class was their goal; policymakers wanted to make sure for their children and grandchildren that they were intentional about the “nurture” aspect of their cultural identity.

The creation of the nation’s Black middle class was an uphill battle. Rothstein notes that at critical points, largely due to political reasons, the system was rigged against perpetuating the rise of the Black middle-class and accommodating their housing needs.

Some fortunate Black Americans persisted despite the intentional resistance they faced in housing and in the predominantly white working world and were able to create a black middle-class of their own, of which I am a product. As a native of the Lexington area, I was raised in a family with deep ties to the community, education, and public service. Both sets of grandparents were fortunate to own homes in two of Lexington’s first middle-class black neighborhoods created along Georgetown Road – Oakwood, and St. Martin’s Village. These neighborhoods and the families who lived there helped to form my cultural identity as a black Lexingtonian. The journey of Black Lexington’s path to homeownership is a multigenerational story worthy of being told. I along with several other local organizations are working to bring these stories to life in film. It’s an empowering project and an exciting time to be an advocate in the real estate industry.

I’m proud to be a black REALTOR & REALTIST! The National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (NAREB) was founded in Tampa, Florida, in 1947 as an equal opportunity and civil rights advocacy organization for African-American real estate professionals with the goal of striving for “Democracy in Housing.” NAREB has played varying influential roles in the implementation of equal rights, fair housing, equal opportunity, and community development legislation at the local, state, and federal levels since its founding. As the founding president of the local board, NAREB of Central KY, I’m proud to say that I, along with fellow REALTORS/REALTIST Chancellor Scott, Ivy Barksdale, Raquel Carter, Rachel Crabtree, Chantelle Pressley, and Abdul Muhammad, lending partner with WesBanco, have helped to initiate the resurgence of the local chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. Our mission is to solidify a community of black real estate professionals in Central Kentucky, who are committed to elevating one another and amplifying our collective voice to better represent the community in which we serve. Our organization is actively engaging in advocacy opportunities in the areas of housing and black wealth on the local and national levels.

Kristen LaRue Bond is a Lexington native, a graduate of Fisk University, Belmont University, and the University of Kentucky. She is a Realtor with the K&D Team at Lifstyl Real Estate, and initiated the resurgence of the local chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers.

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