By Fortune Ogulere
The bullet and the ballot are not the only ways communities of color have been threatened over the decades. Environmental monopoly and neglect are a key aspect of the arsenal that seeks to dismantle the minorities affected.
Despite living in a country that boasts of equal rights, these communities have limited access to clean air, water, and a healthy environment. Some key statistics and facts that shed light on these pressing issues include:
Pollution Exposure
Studies by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) show that 75% of African American communities are more likely to live near toxic facilities than white communities, not by choice but due to historical racist housing policies.
Segregation
In 1934, the Federal Housing Administration created a manual that divided neighborhoods using a rating system that left black neighborhoods at the bottom. This segregation enabled policymakers and city planners to expose the already marginalized colored communities to environmental hazards while avoiding endangering white neighborhoods.
Dumping Grounds
In 1959, the Bruco Battery Company dumped 500 used battery casings in a predominately black Chicago neighborhood. In an attempt by the neighborhood to burn the abandoned casings as an alternate source of fuel to wood and coal, toxic clouds of lead sulphate poisoned the families residing there.
Lead Levels
According to Medical News Today, black communities have higher blood lead levels than people of other races in the United States.
Inadequate Handling
The Trump Administration’s Lead and Copper rule faced backlash for its inadequacy from the NAACP and NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) to name a few.
Water Safety
On August 29, 2022, the largest water plant in Jackson, Mississippi failed, leaving 160,000 people — 80% of them black — without safe water. This disaster was the aftermath of generations of neglect by policymakers and planners.
Demographic Disparity
The 2014 Flint water crisis in Michigan, where lead-polluted water was dismissed by the authorities, shows the disproportionate impact of environmental threats to the predominately black community residing in Flint. This demographic disparity is one of many instances that highlight the broader issue of environmental injustice in which marginalized communities bear the brunt of environmental hazards.
Housing Crisis
Gentrification of black homes, communities, and businesses without proper replacement ultimately causes a housing crisis, disproportionate distribution of wealth, voting strength, and poverty.
Environmental threats are nowhere extinguished today, and the voices of those affected need to be centered. By understanding these facts, it becomes clear that this is a social issue that demands urgent action.
Fortune Ogulere, is a sophomore English major from Imo State, Nigeria.