Why Do You Live Where You Live? Using Interactive Maps to Connect Past Racist Housing Policy to the Present.

The article discusses how racist government-sponsored mortgage loan practices in the 1930s and '40s led to the segregation of metropolitan areas in the United States, with many of those boundaries still existing today. The author, an English teacher, used interactive maps to help students understand the impact of past housing policies on their present neighborhoods. Through exploring historical maps, restrictive covenants, and demographic data, students gained insight into how racist policies shaped their city's racial divisions and the lasting impact of segregation on opportunity, income, and health. The article emphasizes the importance of educating students about the roots of racism and its ongoing effects on society. [Extracted from the article]