Mapping Inequality serves as a project that informs and educates the general public on the history and current state of redlining. Redlining, named as a metaphor of the “red lines” seen in maps, is a process of dividing and separating neighborhoods based on the ethnic/racial makeup of the population in order to discriminate and oppress through housing inequality.
This project was directed and designed by Robert K. Nelson and he is responsible for most of the development of the web application servicing the map and project. This project was completed by the University of Richmond with many contributors, often including a large number of the university’s students, who helped collect data, design the website, and create the maps. Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, and Hopkins University are among the other schools who assisted and contributed to the project. The project site initiated on October 19, 2016 and has been updated throughout the time between that date and now.
Beginning from 1935-1940, the federal government, through the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC), created “area descriptions,” which allowed the government to practically choose who can live where, legally oppressing certain groups and races for decades until it was deemed illegal. This took place all over the country, and the map showcases statistics from the main cities and a great portion of cities from across the country. Redlining is therefore nationwide, and has affected most communities in America, and the digital mapping shows the reach of it, proving the effectiveness of mapping as a digital humanities tool.
