Urban Planning and the African-American Community

In the Shadows

How have urban planning policies contributed to racial injustices in American cities? Does contemporary urban planning really address and attempt to solve the social and economic problems of African Americans in cities, or does it just perpetuate ghetto conditions? What have African Americans done to confront injustices in planning? Historically, race and city design are linked, and Urban Planning and the African American Community aims to clarify the historical connections between the African American population and the urban planning profession and to suggest means by which cooperation and justice may be increased. The book focuses on the areas of zoning and real estate, planning and public policy, African American initiatives and responses to urban planning, and urban planning education. Individual chapters examine the racial origins of zoning in American cities; how Eurocentric family models have shaped planning policies applied to African American families; the rise of equity planning and its effects; the role of race and empowerment in the Model Cities experiment; African American experiences with shaping the planning of such cities as Los Angeles, Greensboro, and Birmingham; and provides a plan for diversifying planning education in order to advance the profession. The editors also include a chapter of excerpts from important court cases and government reports that have shaped or reflected the racial aspects of urban planning. This important new volume bridges the gap between urban planning and issues of race and will be an essential resource for academics and students in urban studies, urban planning, and race/ethnic studies.