Interstates Highways and Eminent Domain
By
John C Abercrombie
As America has grown, there have been growing pains. There have been highs and lows, some of these developments have had unnoticed consequences. I say unnoticed because the general public is unaware of the often-negative impact of these developments. They have included interstate highways, but often are the result of local mis engineering that does not take into account the result on specific communities of people. Otherwise, it will fall under the category of purposeful destructive construction. This post will feature specific cases.
The National Interstate Act of 1956 authorized the largest public works program ever undertaken in America and dramatically improved the ability of people and goods to move from coast to coast easily. This opened parts of the great country to people who had difficulty accessing it using the existing highways and byways. This has proven beneficial.
The problem that emerged was where those highways were to be built, the communities that were destroyed, those isolated and financially disrupted. During the first two decades of building over one million people were displaced. This displacement often split prospering financial communities, cut people off from jobs, educational and recreational facilities. It also placed many communities in a more dangerous and hazardous environment.
Overtown is one such example. Originally called “Colored Town” it was a preeminent and historic center of commerce in the Black community and located jus Northwest of downtown Miami, Florida. More than 10,00 people were displaced to build Interstate 95. The area had a contentious background as White business owners had made several attempts to move Black residents out of the area in order to expand “their” business district.
Another overlooked factor is that when these changes are proposed the true story is never reveled and there is absolutely no financial benefit to the community being demolished. Jobs to demolish or rebuild are not available to the residents. Even the businesses that are built don’t employ the displaced residents.
Because of redlining and other systematic, de jure and de facto practices, the property in question is devalued. This puts the displaced people in a precarious position of not being able to purchase comparable living or other accommodations.
Dissecting it further, it is difficult for a Black person to purchase a home because it is confined to what the Federal Government has defined as a Red Zone. As such, banks did not loan money to purchase a home. The home could not be used as collateral as in the White communities to improve it or to finance the education of children. Because of the Red Lining, many of the infrastructures taken for granted in the White neighborhoods such as sidewalks, parks and other amenities were lacking or in poor condition if they existed.
This then devalued the home when the government would use eminent domain to essentially take the property at a ridiculously low price, not enough to purchase a comparable home anywhere. To business owners, it dried up the community that was supporting them and in addition to loss of cliental, they could not afford to build new buildings.
After the destruction of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the building codes were made much more stringent, including like the need to replace a single-story building with a two story one. This is an often-repeated scheme that took place anywhere Black communities were involved. They were given a line that it was such a new improvement, even though there was no serious effort made to ask or incorporate any suggestions from the community involved. It was strong arm robbery at its most fiendish heart.
My parents in Spartanburg, South Carolina were placed in this place as our home and my mother’s business and building fell prey to these vultures. I had seen the work necessary to go from a rented building to the new construction required to build her own building and to see it snatched away in this manner was indeed heartbreaking.
People come out of these experiences broken, seeing what they have worked all of their lives snatched away at the whelm of greedy politicians and business leaders who are working hand in glove, taking advantage of the powerless. Powerless to fight a system financed with deep pockets. Had they been fair in their dealings, had they been truthful, it may have hurt, but it would not seem like outright trickery. There was physical harm.
There were widows who had worked all of their lives to have a home in their old age, only to have a lifetime worth of work and sacrifice stolen, now where do they go. This is a page out of the book of slavery where after the master had worked the slaves almost to death and they were old and infirmed, they would be given a shack and had to support themselves in their now ill health. This was just another cruel death sentence. These people had been freed. Yes, freed to die of starvation and suffer ill health from the non-compensated work they had been forced to do all their lives. This was extremely cruel reward for a lifetime’s worth of work and it is no better coming from the government than a slaveowner.
Planners of interstates and of these Urban Renewal (Black Removal) programs purposefully route highways directly through Black and Brown communities and in many cases isolate and cut off from prosperous sources of work, play and employment. Leaving these communities to face the most hazardous, least desirable, and isolated communities possible for the sake of money. Many times, the government uses eminent domain to take the property.
Eminent Domain is the right of the government or its agent to expropriate private property for public use with payment of compensation, but in addition to the unfairness of appraisal of property, there is the emotional impact of having the only thing you claim being snatched away without just compensation and the profit of others without limit.
It is devastating to have to suffer the loss of homes, churches, and schools and all that you have had for your entire life. Imagine yourself having these possibilities hanging over your head.
This is also a reason that there is great distrust of the government by people who have been subjected to this type of treatment. Disrespect of a group is at the center of this mistrust.
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The Schomburg Center
A world class collection of Black History inspired by a 5th grade teacher who told Arturo Schomburg that there was NO African history. Nothing of value. Schomburg dedicated his life to proving that teacher wrong and Schomburg did an amazing job with his collection.
Schomburg – The man who built a library
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