Pathway for Involvement and Acceptance
News Article: "Voices & Visions of St. Louis: Past, Present, Future" Conference Highlights Racial and Spatial Exclusion in St. Louis
The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) is hosting a three-day conference titled "Voices & Visions of St. Louis: Past, Present, Future" from March 30 to April 1, 2016. The event, presented in partnership with the Mellon-funded Divided City Initiative at Washington University in St. Louis, aims to address the deep-rooted historical and contemporary issues of racial and spatial exclusion in St. Louis.
Historically, St. Louis, like many American cities, experienced the formation of African American neighborhoods through legal and social segregation. Practices such as redlining, racially restrictive covenants, and zoning laws confined Black residents to specific under-resourced neighborhoods, limiting access to quality housing, education, and economic opportunities. These forms of exclusion were perpetuated in mid-20th century urban development projects, especially the construction of highways that physically divided and isolated Black communities, which diminished access to services and contributed to population decline in these areas.
Contemporary discussions highlighted that these historic exclusionary practices have long-lasting effects, manifesting today in persistent racial segregation, concentrated poverty, and disparities in wealth and health outcomes. For instance, redlining maps from the early 20th century still correlate with current patterns of disinvestment and spatial inequality, affecting homeownership rates and neighborhood resources in St. Louis.
Moreover, the conference also addressed modern systemic issues such as banking discrimination and inequities in mortgage lending, which continue to restrict wealth accumulation and entrepreneurship opportunities for Black residents. These systemic barriers reinforce spatial exclusion by limiting mobility and economic advancement, thus perpetuating cycles of disadvantage in St. Louis neighborhoods.
The conference, which brings together planners, politicians, activists, and academics from St. Louis and Boston, is not focused on proposing specific solutions to the thorny dilemmas of racial and spatial exclusion, but rather on facilitating dialogue and the exchange of ideas among various stakeholders. Diane Davis, chair of the GSD's urban planning and design department, emphasizes that there is no easy fix to racial and spatial exclusion issues, but the conference aims to bring together planners, scholars, and others from different disciplines to explore potential solutions over time.
One of the key topics discussed is the legacy of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project, a failed urban renewal project built in the 1950s that was demolished less than two decades after it was built. The project, modeled after the superblocks approach to planning, is often interpreted as a sign of the futility of federal government involvement or the flaws in modernist architecture. However, the story is more complex, and the conference aims to delve into the systemic issues that led to its failure.
The conference also discusses the historical context of Missouri, including its role in the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Civil War. By understanding the past, the conference hopes to inform the future and chart a different course for St. Louis, one that is more just, equitable, and livable for all its residents.
[1] "Redlining in St. Louis: A History of Racial Segregation and Disinvestment" - https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/community-development/housing-and-community-development/redlining-st-louis.cfm [2] "The Pruitt-Igoe Myth" - https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/pruitt-igoewho-built-the-cities-on-fire/ [4] "The Divided City Initiative" - https://dividedcity.wustl.edu/
- Urban planning discussions at the "Voices & Visions of St. Louis" conference focused on understanding and addressing the historical impact of redlining on access to quality education, housing, and self-development opportunities in St. Louis.
- Learning from the failures of urban planning projects such as Pruitt-Igoe, conference speakers emphasized the importance of equitable education, self-development, and diverse collaboration in developing urban plans that foster just and livable communities.
