®Texas Department of Transportation
Divide and Conquer: Austin’s Segregated Past
By Vedanth Ramanathan
A
Interstate 35 has segregated Austin since 1962 (Photo by Texas Dept. of Transportation, 1962)
ustin, viewed as a cultural already taken a toll on hundreds of segregation and gentrification melting pot and one of the of people, which is why many view have slowly, but surely, permeated fastest-growing cities in this disastrous effect as a reality, through Austin. the United States, boasts a huge not a possibility. Racial inequality, Austin was a majority tech market, beautiful landscape geographic divide and the effects white town at the end of the and unaffordable Civil War in 1865, homes. Over the with many antipast century, these Black sentiments reasons have drawn still dominant in vastly different politics. In 1867 people to come the first majority live here. Behind African American this plastered cover neighborhood, photo of Austin, Wheatville, however, is a dark, was founded detrimental and and became unadvertised force incorporated into that ravages cities Austin. In the experiencing rapid following years, Austin Downtown Skyline with the Texas Capitol in the middle. expansion. In Austin, other similar (Photo by Vedanth Ramanathan,2021) this process has neighborhoods 22 Austin Divided
