The development of many American cities has been profoundly shaped by “redlining,” a process dating to the 1930s of deliberately dividing urban areas primarily by race. Once a federal policy, redlining produced maps determining which areas of a city were considered “safe” for investment and growth, and which were not, with red lines drawn around those areas deemed to be unsuitable for lending. Redlining was a widely practiced means of ensuring a racially segmented city and placed minorities at a severe disadvantage when trying to obtain banking or insurance services. The effects of the practice led to spiraling urban decay in redlined neighborhoods and are still highly evident in cities like Columbus. Today, the advent of community land trusts, more equitable property tax appraisal practices, and the growth of minority-owned banks are attempting to address the consequences of redlining. Join CMC as we look at the impact of redlining in Columbus and new efforts to heal its deep divisions. The speakers are:

Jordan A. Miller, Jr., Chairman & CEO, Adelphi Bank

Danielle Sydnor, CEO, Rise Together Innovation Institute

Nicole Sutton, Black Heritage Special Collections Librarian, Columbus Metropolitan Library

Monica Moran, Deputy Chief of Staff, Franklin County Auditor’s Office

The host is Tracy Townsend, Anchor, Wake Up CBUS and Face the State, WBNS 10TV

This forum was sponsored by COTA, The United Way of Central Ohio, and The Robert Weiler Company, and was supported by the Grange Insurance Audubon Center.

The livestream was presented by The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation and The Columbus Dispatch.

It was recorded before a live audience in Columbus, Ohio on June 7, 2023.

You can learn more about redlining in Columbus and how it has impacted Columbus’ neighborhoods by visiting the “Undesign the Redline” interactive exhibit, on display in Columbus through December 31, 2023. Admission is free. Learn more: https://www.ywcacolumbus.org/get-involved/attend-an-event/aanda/undesign-the-redline-exhibit/