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I want to start this podcast about

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housing in Austin by talking to

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someone who came to the city like so

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many: with dreams of making

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it big.

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My name is Adrian Quesada.

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I am a musician, producer based

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in Austin, Texas.

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You've probably heard of Adrian, but

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if you haven't, he's played in a

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bunch of bands in Austin.

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One of my favorites is Grupo

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Fantasma.

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Adrian's also played with Black

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Pumas, Brownout.

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He's been onstage with Prince and

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Los Lobos.

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Anyway, this kid from Laredo moves

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to Austin in 1995 to go

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to UT.

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He lives in student housing for a

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couple of years, then he moves off

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campus and starts living with a

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couple of bandmates.

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We had an apartment on East

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Riverside.

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Really- It was really cheap.

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I mean, like a couple hundred each.

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About $300 a month each.

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After a couple of years, him and his

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buddies moved out.

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We rented a house up in

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North Austin, kind of off 51st

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Street.

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Adrian says this house had a

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rotating cast of people.

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But he was young and rent was cheap.

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Probably around three, three or 400

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each. Maybe at some point we were

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paying 500 each for a full

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house.

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Adrian says he didn't really worry

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about having money for rent.

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We were never swimming in cash, but

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we never felt like we

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were going to get thrown out of the

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house or anything. We all, we all

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made rent. Always.

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Eventually, Adrian decided he was

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done living with a bunch of people.

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He found a place on his own.

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Avenue F in Hyde Park, and

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my rent was $400 there.

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For a one bedroom.

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For a massive one bedroom.

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In Hyde Park.

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Yep, it was huge.

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It was $400.

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You can hear the disbelief in my

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voice. Sure.

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This was the early 2000s,

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but a one bedroom in Hyde Park goes

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for about 1600 a month

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now, four times what Adrian

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paid.

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The only catch was the, um,

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landlord, when th-

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they wouldn't take care of anything.

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I think the landlord had bought it

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for his son when he was in college

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and just forgot about it.

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So he took advantage of this whole

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absent landlord thing.

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I started doing this thing where I

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would, uh, be so late

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with the rent.

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Say I paid it three weeks in,

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I would figure out a way to like

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skip two months a year because I

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would be like- act like that was

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just the February rent versus the

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January rent.

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Eventually, an attorney called him

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and shut down the whole scheme.

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But the point is, Austin was cheap

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and you could get away with making

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it cheaper.

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After four years in this Hyde Park

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spot, Adrian met a woman

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he would eventually marry, and

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he crossed the river to live with

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her.

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She had a condo, a two story condo

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on Congress and Oltorf.

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Adrian can't remember what he paid

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toward her mortgage or if he paid at

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all. Sweet deal.

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Anyway, the two got serious and

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decided to buy a house.

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They found one just south of St.

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Edwards University in the St. Elmo

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area. It was 2004.

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What did you pay for your house back

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when you bought it?

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132.

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$132,000.

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Homes in that zip code now sell for

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half a million.

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But back then, and to a musician on

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the brink of success, but not

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quite there yet, that was a lot.

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That felt like a huge number.

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That was not manageable.

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That was, by any means.

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That was absolutely

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insane to think of going into

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that much debt.

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20 years later, Adrian and his wife

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have paid off the house and they own

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a second one, in Lockhart.

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Adrian says he definitely hustled

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when he first started out as a

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musician, but he was able to make

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it, to move to Austin, play

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gigs, cover his bills

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and eventually build a life in a

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city he loves.

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He's not sure that exists any

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longer, at least for musicians.

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It's a struggle for a lot of people.

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You know, I think multiple people

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piling into, um,

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houses and apartments and

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just hustling all kinds of jobs is,

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is very much a reality.

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He's seen musicians move to small

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towns outside the city, places

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like Lockhart, Buda, places

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cheaper than Austin.

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The surreal thing is that the

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creative class is what made Austin

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appealing, and now

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the creative class is being priced

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out.

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Adrian thinks about this business

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near his house.

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It's about a ten minute walk away,

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and he used to spend a lot of time

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there.

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There used to be a music lab

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rehearsal space that all, every

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band, it was kind of rite of passage

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to rehearse in this gross

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place that was just beer soaked and

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just was nasty in there.

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I can't make this stuff up.

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This band space is now ...

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Thank you for calling, Tesla.

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Please hold for the next available

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agent.

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That's right. It's a Tesla showroom.

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The thing that makes me really

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scratch my head is, you know, when

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my wife and I bought a house

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17 years ago and decided to start a

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family, we were

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scraping by, you know,

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as creatives.

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I don't know how a young

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creative family

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would plant their roots and start a

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family in Austin without having a,

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like, serious income.

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And if you just ask people to tell

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their Austin housing story,

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he's right.

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I first came to Austin in the fall

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of 1969 to attend UT,

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and I think my room and board was

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like $70 a month or

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something.

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In 2007, I found

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an apartment on Craigslist,

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on West 10th, for $500

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a month.

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Between 2008

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and 2010,

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I was not paying more than 650

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at the most.

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So I moved to Austin in 2011,

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and I moved from North Carolina, and

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I moved into a house.

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Total was like 1100 for

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a four bedroom house.

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A few months later, when his lease

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was up, and this was 2014,

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it just doubled to 1600.

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We moved down to San Marcos because

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it was cheaper.

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But even that started to get pricey.

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We were looking around in Austin

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and that was hard in 2014

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and we ended up having to move out

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to Pflugerville.

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I grew up here.

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I'm from here, was born here, and I

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can't afford to really live here

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anymore.

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Here's my Austin housing story.

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2015, a bedroom in a house

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in Cherrywood for under $700

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a month. Another house with

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roommates down the street 1100

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a month.

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Moved in with a partner, 500

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a month. That was a great deal.

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Then tiny one bedroom, basically

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a studio in Hyde Park.

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1100 a month.

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Last year, I bought a condo.

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Mortgage and HOA fees come out

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to about 1800 a month.

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Ten years ago, you could rent a two

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bedroom apartment for $1,000

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a month.

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Families earned about $70,000

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a year.

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Since then, rents have nearly

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doubled.

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Wages have not.

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As Austin home prices continue to

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surge ...

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To pay the rent or the mortgage,

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people forego other things:

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gas, clothing, food.

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For those who can't pay, the

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consequences can be dire:

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eviction, foreclosure.

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For other people, it may mean

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leaving Austin altogether.

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Prices continue to soar ...

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How did we get here?

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On one hand, the story of housing in

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Austin is the same in cities across

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the country.

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In the past couple of decades, lots

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of people have moved here.

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But we haven't built enough housing

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for them, at least not in the places

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where people really want to live.

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The median price of a home just hit

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a brand new record ...

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So prices have gone up, pushing

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out current residents, mostly people

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of color, and making Austin a

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place only the rich can afford.

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A new all time high

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last month, according to the Austin

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Board of Realtors ...

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I've been covering local government

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and housing in Austin for nearly a

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decade.

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I've written the same story over

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and over again.

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In just a year, the median sales

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price of a home in Austin rose by

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more than $100,000 ...

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The median sales price of a home in

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Austin rose by 25% ...

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The city set a record for the

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highest annual increase in median

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sales price of homes.

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You know this story.

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Even if you don't live in Austin,

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you know this story of Austin.

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But let me drill down for a minute.

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What neighborhood do you live in?

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Why?

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Is it because it's the only

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neighborhood you can afford or

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because you bought your house

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decades ago, and even if you sold

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it, couldn't buy a new place?

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Is it because it's the only

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00:08:23,820 --> 00:08:25,379
neighborhood where you look around

286
00:08:25,380 --> 00:08:27,869
and see people who look like you?

287
00:08:27,870 --> 00:08:29,579
If you work outside your house, how

288
00:08:29,580 --> 00:08:30,959
far do you commute?

289
00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,298
Do you bike, walk or drive to work?

290
00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:35,009
Do you, like most people who live

291
00:08:35,010 --> 00:08:36,808
here, spend an hour in your car

292
00:08:36,809 --> 00:08:38,788
alone, each day, getting to

293
00:08:38,789 --> 00:08:39,789
and from work?

294
00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,004
Is all of this okay with you?

295
00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,239
If Austin had one story, that story

296
00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:48,259
would be growth.

297
00:08:48,260 --> 00:08:50,089
People move here every day, and the

298
00:08:50,090 --> 00:08:51,919
city gets bigger and bigger.

299
00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:53,719
Not just population, but also

300
00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:55,069
geography.

301
00:08:55,070 --> 00:08:57,109
The way we as a city have handled

302
00:08:57,110 --> 00:08:58,549
this growth, the direction that the

303
00:08:58,550 --> 00:09:00,439
city has grown, that's the

304
00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:01,909
bigger story.

305
00:09:01,910 --> 00:09:03,559
And to start to unravel it, we have

306
00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:05,419
to go back, back in time

307
00:09:05,420 --> 00:09:07,219
to consider choices that have built

308
00:09:07,220 --> 00:09:09,079
in Austin, that can no longer

309
00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:10,579
keep its promises.

310
00:09:10,580 --> 00:09:12,439
The promise that you like, Adrian

311
00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,359
Quesada, can come here,

312
00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:16,189
follow your dreams and make it

313
00:09:16,190 --> 00:09:17,329
big.

314
00:09:17,330 --> 00:09:19,309
Or at least afford to pay the rent.

315
00:09:22,540 --> 00:09:23,919
I'm Andrew McGlinchey.

316
00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:25,929
This is Growth Machine: How Austin

317
00:09:25,930 --> 00:09:27,124
Engineered Its Housing Market.

318
00:09:27,125 --> 00:09:28,125
Episode

319
00:09:28,990 --> 00:09:30,700
one, We planned this.

320
00:09:44,750 --> 00:09:45,919
For this episode, I'm going to be

321
00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,839
joined by Marisa Charpentier.

322
00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:49,360
She's also a reporter here at KUT.

323
00:09:50,420 --> 00:09:51,439
Hi, Marisa.

324
00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:52,440
Hi, Audrey.

325
00:09:54,170 --> 00:09:55,699
Back in May, we got invited to this

326
00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:58,159
one story house in East Austin.

327
00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,139
Tan stone exterior, green

328
00:10:00,140 --> 00:10:02,059
roof and lots and lots of

329
00:10:02,060 --> 00:10:02,719
stories.

330
00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:04,069
Hi, I'm Audrey.

331
00:10:04,070 --> 00:10:05,408
How are you?

332
00:10:05,409 --> 00:10:05,989
I'm good, good ...

333
00:10:05,990 --> 00:10:07,489
We were invited by a man named

334
00:10:07,490 --> 00:10:08,689
Donald Dallas.

335
00:10:08,690 --> 00:10:10,339
That's my aunt. So it was, this

336
00:10:10,340 --> 00:10:12,259
house belonged to her mom.

337
00:10:12,260 --> 00:10:14,359
Donald is an activist and a teacher.

338
00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:15,829
He's in his thirties and he grew up

339
00:10:15,830 --> 00:10:16,789
in East Austin.

340
00:10:16,790 --> 00:10:18,139
And this house has been in his

341
00:10:18,140 --> 00:10:20,629
family since the 1960s.

342
00:10:20,630 --> 00:10:22,489
Here's Donald's grandmother, Linda.

343
00:10:22,490 --> 00:10:24,349
We all lived in this

344
00:10:24,350 --> 00:10:25,249
house.

345
00:10:25,250 --> 00:10:27,079
Every last one of us,

346
00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,179
you know, was raised up right here,

347
00:10:29,180 --> 00:10:30,409
in this home.

348
00:10:30,410 --> 00:10:31,939
This house is a meeting spot of

349
00:10:31,940 --> 00:10:33,079
sorts.

350
00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,089
On a Tuesday evening, about a dozen

351
00:10:35,090 --> 00:10:37,009
of Donald's family members came

352
00:10:37,010 --> 00:10:37,819
and went.

353
00:10:37,820 --> 00:10:40,429
Aunts, nieces, nephews.

354
00:10:40,430 --> 00:10:42,439
Our grandma do stuff for

355
00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:43,729
us. She do anything.

356
00:10:43,730 --> 00:10:44,795
She'll buy your stuff for and she

357
00:10:44,796 --> 00:10:46,739
will buy a t-shirt for like,

358
00:10:46,740 --> 00:10:47,929
for school and like that.

359
00:10:47,930 --> 00:10:50,269
And then she'll buy a school

360
00:10:50,270 --> 00:10:51,270
for [inaudible].

361
00:10:51,710 --> 00:10:53,239
Not quite sure what the last part of

362
00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,279
that was. But anyway, I sat

363
00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,019
next to Linda on this deep leather

364
00:10:57,020 --> 00:10:58,849
couch and I asked her to tell me a

365
00:10:58,850 --> 00:11:00,799
story about growing up here.

366
00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:02,299
She immediately got to the juicy

367
00:11:02,300 --> 00:11:03,259
stuff.

368
00:11:03,260 --> 00:11:05,269
My cousin lived across the street

369
00:11:05,270 --> 00:11:07,489
from us, up here on Higgins,

370
00:11:07,490 --> 00:11:09,319
my grandmother's house, and

371
00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,259
she used to sneak me in to Charlie's

372
00:11:12,260 --> 00:11:12,799
Playhouse.

373
00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:14,599
Charlie's Playhouse was a club that

374
00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,206
opened in the late fifties.

375
00:11:16,207 --> 00:11:17,989
Ruthie Mae 'cause she sung there.

376
00:11:17,990 --> 00:11:19,657
She was a singer. and she sing- And

377
00:11:19,658 --> 00:11:20,658
she took me in there.

378
00:11:24,620 --> 00:11:25,639
I was under age.

379
00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,589
I think I was about, ooh,

380
00:11:27,590 --> 00:11:28,590
I must have been about 16,

381
00:11:29,540 --> 00:11:30,579
17 years old.

382
00:11:31,610 --> 00:11:32,539
... the White Swan. You ever hear

383
00:11:32,540 --> 00:11:33,709
about the White Swan?

384
00:11:33,710 --> 00:11:35,299
This is Linda, sister Sue.

385
00:11:35,300 --> 00:11:37,339
At 12th and Chicon, uh, the East

386
00:11:37,340 --> 00:11:38,340
Room, then, uh,

387
00:11:39,710 --> 00:11:41,398
you used to go down to Sea Rose and

388
00:11:41,399 --> 00:11:43,309
... we used had

389
00:11:43,310 --> 00:11:44,809
a lot of places to go to.

390
00:11:44,810 --> 00:11:46,639
You know, we, we

391
00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:46,854
used to have a lot of ...

392
00:11:46,855 --> 00:11:48,889
Jam Burger, oh,

393
00:11:48,890 --> 00:11:49,890
Jam Burger was ...

394
00:11:50,850 --> 00:11:51,711
Tell me what you know about Jam

395
00:11:51,712 --> 00:11:52,712
Burger!

396
00:11:55,110 --> 00:11:56,639
As we're talking, you can hear the

397
00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:58,799
screen door open and shut

398
00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:00,089
as people come and go.

399
00:12:00,090 --> 00:12:02,099
Beyond the door is Loreto Drive,

400
00:12:02,100 --> 00:12:03,989
a small street, about two dozen

401
00:12:03,990 --> 00:12:06,209
homes, most of them single story.

402
00:12:06,210 --> 00:12:07,259
And there's a streetlight.

403
00:12:07,260 --> 00:12:08,729
When Linda was raising her kids,

404
00:12:08,730 --> 00:12:10,229
they would play outside with one

405
00:12:10,230 --> 00:12:12,149
rule. Be home by the time the

406
00:12:12,150 --> 00:12:13,349
street light came on.

407
00:12:13,350 --> 00:12:14,939
A lot of times the mom would have to

408
00:12:14,940 --> 00:12:16,889
call 'em in, "Y'all get in this

409
00:12:16,890 --> 00:12:17,890
house, it's so late!"

410
00:12:19,050 --> 00:12:20,399
They wouldn't pay her no mind.

411
00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:21,306
They still be playing out there.

412
00:12:21,307 --> 00:12:22,307
But

413
00:12:24,180 --> 00:12:25,829
we had a lot of fun on this street

414
00:12:25,830 --> 00:12:28,349
here. Mainly this street,

415
00:12:28,350 --> 00:12:30,329
'cause we knew everybody,

416
00:12:30,330 --> 00:12:32,609
you know. All the families

417
00:12:32,610 --> 00:12:35,009
knew us too, you know?

418
00:12:35,010 --> 00:12:36,539
It isn't that way anymore.

419
00:12:36,540 --> 00:12:38,339
Linda says she doesn't know most of

420
00:12:38,340 --> 00:12:40,109
the people on this street.

421
00:12:40,110 --> 00:12:41,609
A lot of the old families sold their

422
00:12:41,610 --> 00:12:43,349
houses and moved away.

423
00:12:43,350 --> 00:12:45,239
Right now, about 30% of

424
00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:46,709
the people in this neighborhood are

425
00:12:46,710 --> 00:12:47,219
black.

426
00:12:47,220 --> 00:12:49,049
40 years ago, that number was

427
00:12:49,050 --> 00:12:50,262
90%.

428
00:12:50,263 --> 00:12:51,479
Which meant that most of the

429
00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:53,549
businesses here were owned by Black

430
00:12:53,550 --> 00:12:55,109
people. So it was like a

431
00:12:55,110 --> 00:12:56,819
self-sustaining community of Black

432
00:12:56,820 --> 00:12:57,779
Austinites.

433
00:12:57,780 --> 00:12:58,949
That was kind of like the way of

434
00:12:58,950 --> 00:12:59,950
life, like,

435
00:13:00,990 --> 00:13:02,339
economically here.

436
00:13:02,340 --> 00:13:03,279
This is Donald.

437
00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:04,799
It's a little hard to hear him.

438
00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:06,359
He stood behind the couch.

439
00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:07,619
So you really didn't have to go

440
00:13:07,620 --> 00:13:09,209
outside in the neighborhood with

441
00:13:09,210 --> 00:13:10,829
your daughter because you had

442
00:13:10,830 --> 00:13:12,473
everything here, you know.

443
00:13:12,474 --> 00:13:14,129
And it was owned by the people that

444
00:13:14,130 --> 00:13:15,130
was from here.

445
00:13:15,990 --> 00:13:17,909
We had doctor's offices

446
00:13:17,910 --> 00:13:19,259
and pharmacy, black owned

447
00:13:19,260 --> 00:13:20,789
pharmacies.

448
00:13:20,790 --> 00:13:22,589
I don't know if we had a bank, but,

449
00:13:22,590 --> 00:13:24,479
you know, it could have been.

450
00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,699
This is Sion, Donald's aunt.

451
00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:28,589
About a decade ago, a lot of new

452
00:13:28,590 --> 00:13:30,149
people started moving to this

453
00:13:30,150 --> 00:13:31,439
neighborhood, changing the

454
00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,539
demographics, driving up the cost

455
00:13:33,540 --> 00:13:34,739
of housing.

456
00:13:34,740 --> 00:13:36,089
Sion says she remembers this one

457
00:13:36,090 --> 00:13:38,399
encounter she had in 2010.

458
00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,229
We were at the bank, Bank of America

459
00:13:40,230 --> 00:13:42,119
down the street, and a guy told

460
00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:43,179
us in the bank, um, I

461
00:13:44,610 --> 00:13:46,469
don't know how we got on the subject

462
00:13:46,470 --> 00:13:48,359
of, like, the housing market, but

463
00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,369
he was like, "Don't ever sell

464
00:13:50,370 --> 00:13:51,899
your house if you live in East

465
00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:53,759
Austin, because East

466
00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:55,889
Austin's housing

467
00:13:55,890 --> 00:13:57,389
market is going to be crazy like

468
00:13:57,390 --> 00:13:58,529
California.

469
00:13:58,530 --> 00:14:00,263
And he said, give it about ten years

470
00:14:00,264 --> 00:14:02,639
and you'll see.

471
00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,009
So I always remembered that.

472
00:14:05,010 --> 00:14:06,179
And so this is going to sound like a

473
00:14:06,180 --> 00:14:07,379
dumb question, but when the guy at

474
00:14:07,380 --> 00:14:09,059
the bank said that thing to you, was

475
00:14:09,060 --> 00:14:09,839
he right?

476
00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:11,100
He was absolutely right.

477
00:14:24,910 --> 00:14:26,859
Donald, Sion, Linda,

478
00:14:26,860 --> 00:14:27,639
Sue.

479
00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:29,529
Four generations in this one

480
00:14:29,530 --> 00:14:31,509
house and part of this

481
00:14:31,510 --> 00:14:33,189
family can trace their history in

482
00:14:33,190 --> 00:14:35,349
Austin back even further,

483
00:14:35,350 --> 00:14:37,509
to a small community in South Austin

484
00:14:37,510 --> 00:14:38,510
called Kincheonville.

485
00:14:38,980 --> 00:14:40,719
And how this family moved from South

486
00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,969
Austin to East Austin and eventually

487
00:14:42,970 --> 00:14:44,709
away from Austin.

488
00:14:44,710 --> 00:14:47,139
That's what this episode is about.

489
00:14:47,140 --> 00:14:49,119
It's about why that guy at the bank

490
00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:50,049
was right.

491
00:14:50,050 --> 00:14:51,789
How one decision ended up dictating

492
00:14:51,790 --> 00:14:53,229
where a whole group of Austinites

493
00:14:53,230 --> 00:14:55,749
could and then couldn't live.

494
00:14:55,750 --> 00:14:57,549
And it takes us back a century to

495
00:14:57,550 --> 00:14:58,900
1928.

496
00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:11,989
So can you just introduce yourself

497
00:15:11,990 --> 00:15:13,339
to me? Tell me your name, good

498
00:15:13,340 --> 00:15:14,029
title.

499
00:15:14,030 --> 00:15:16,039
My name is Edmund Tayloe Gordon and

500
00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:17,419
I'm an associate professor of

501
00:15:17,420 --> 00:15:19,429
African, African Diaspora Studies at

502
00:15:19,430 --> 00:15:21,169
the University of Texas at Austin.

503
00:15:21,170 --> 00:15:23,239
Let's start in 1865.

504
00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:24,589
The Civil War is over.

505
00:15:24,590 --> 00:15:26,359
Formerly enslaved black people in

506
00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:27,769
Texas have learned about their

507
00:15:27,770 --> 00:15:29,779
emancipation and start leaving

508
00:15:29,780 --> 00:15:30,709
plantations.

509
00:15:30,710 --> 00:15:33,109
They're coming to whatever

510
00:15:33,110 --> 00:15:35,539
town is the biggest looking for

511
00:15:36,650 --> 00:15:38,329
wage labor, basically, and other

512
00:15:38,330 --> 00:15:40,849
kinds of economic opportunities.

513
00:15:40,850 --> 00:15:42,139
They're settling in and around

514
00:15:42,140 --> 00:15:44,119
cities like Austin, in neighborhoods

515
00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,099
called freedom colonies or freedmen

516
00:15:46,100 --> 00:15:46,999
communities.

517
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,279
Relatively prosperous communities.

518
00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,169
These folks are both

519
00:15:51,170 --> 00:15:53,629
producing stuff on their own.

520
00:15:53,630 --> 00:15:55,549
Most of them are growing food.

521
00:15:55,550 --> 00:15:57,559
You got, you know, small chickens

522
00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,089
and pigs and things like that.

523
00:15:59,090 --> 00:16:01,429
The leaders of the families

524
00:16:01,430 --> 00:16:02,899
would get together and they would

525
00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:05,299
try to bring as much of

526
00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:07,219
what you needed within

527
00:16:07,220 --> 00:16:09,079
the confines of your colony.

528
00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:10,699
Gary Bledsoe is a civil rights

529
00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:12,589
lawyer and the head of the Texas

530
00:16:12,590 --> 00:16:13,279
NAACP.

531
00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,559
Because there was an understanding

532
00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:17,659
of the hostility against

533
00:16:17,660 --> 00:16:20,149
people of color outside

534
00:16:20,150 --> 00:16:21,109
the colony.

535
00:16:21,110 --> 00:16:22,459
But people still had to leave the

536
00:16:22,460 --> 00:16:24,079
freedom colonies for work.

537
00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,969
Most of the kind of labor

538
00:16:25,970 --> 00:16:27,169
that these folks would have been

539
00:16:27,170 --> 00:16:29,389
involved in was labor in which

540
00:16:29,390 --> 00:16:31,460
they're, you know, supporting,

541
00:16:32,900 --> 00:16:35,359
you know, white households: laundry,

542
00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,279
cooking, things like that.

543
00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:38,749
In Austin, there were more than a

544
00:16:38,750 --> 00:16:40,759
dozen freedom colonies in and around

545
00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:41,359
the city.

546
00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:43,669
Many with names we still use today.

547
00:16:43,670 --> 00:16:45,589
Wheatville, Clarksville,

548
00:16:45,590 --> 00:16:47,419
to a lesser extent,

549
00:16:47,420 --> 00:16:49,339
the communities of Gregory Town and

550
00:16:49,340 --> 00:16:50,299
Mason Town.

551
00:16:50,300 --> 00:16:51,649
This is Tara Dudley.

552
00:16:51,650 --> 00:16:53,299
She's an architectural historian.

553
00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:55,129
Learning the stories, especially

554
00:16:55,130 --> 00:16:57,049
the sort of forgotten,

555
00:16:57,050 --> 00:16:59,119
in some cases, unknown stories.

556
00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,339
If anything, it helps me feel

557
00:17:01,340 --> 00:17:03,379
more a part of that larger

558
00:17:03,380 --> 00:17:04,380
narrative.

559
00:17:06,109 --> 00:17:07,799
As freedom colonies grew in Austin,

560
00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:09,469
so did the rest of the city.

561
00:17:09,470 --> 00:17:11,299
It's the state capital, so people

562
00:17:11,300 --> 00:17:13,068
moved here for government jobs.

563
00:17:13,069 --> 00:17:15,199
And by 1871, there was a train

564
00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,299
connecting Austin and Houston.

565
00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:19,039
A decade later, the state opened the

566
00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:20,568
University of Texas.

567
00:17:20,569 --> 00:17:23,088
By 1920, there were about 35,000

568
00:17:23,089 --> 00:17:25,129
people living in Austin, nearly

569
00:17:25,130 --> 00:17:27,078
ten times as many as there were

570
00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:28,669
just after the Civil War.

571
00:17:28,670 --> 00:17:30,409
And the city was also growing

572
00:17:30,410 --> 00:17:31,429
geographically.

573
00:17:31,430 --> 00:17:32,989
The first suburb was built, Hyde

574
00:17:32,990 --> 00:17:34,879
Park. Back then, it was

575
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,679
a whites only neighborhood.

576
00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:37,879
More and more people are getting

577
00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,379
around the city in cars.

578
00:17:39,380 --> 00:17:40,579
And so there's a need for

579
00:17:40,580 --> 00:17:42,709
infrastructure to keep up, to

580
00:17:42,710 --> 00:17:44,919
take Austin into a modern era.

581
00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,819
Everything from paving streets,

582
00:17:46,820 --> 00:17:48,679
straightening out streets, crossing

583
00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:50,269
the creeks that we were sandwiched

584
00:17:50,270 --> 00:17:52,489
in between. In many places,

585
00:17:52,490 --> 00:17:53,960
there still weren't bridges, um, or,

586
00:17:55,100 --> 00:17:56,359
you know, sufficient bridges,

587
00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:58,159
especially by the time we're moving

588
00:17:58,160 --> 00:17:59,479
from the horse and buggy to the

589
00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:00,559
automobile.

590
00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:01,939
So elected officials in Austin

591
00:18:01,940 --> 00:18:03,919
decide the city needs a plan.

592
00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:05,059
They hire these two guys out of

593
00:18:05,060 --> 00:18:06,979
Dallas, guys by the name of Coke and

594
00:18:06,980 --> 00:18:08,719
Fowler, and they come up with a

595
00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,699
document that's about 70 pages

596
00:18:10,700 --> 00:18:12,649
long. It says Vision:

597
00:18:12,650 --> 00:18:13,980
for a new Austin,

598
00:18:13,981 --> 00:18:15,499
Where schools should be located,

599
00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:17,059
where housing should be located,

600
00:18:17,060 --> 00:18:19,129
where parks should be located,

601
00:18:19,130 --> 00:18:20,299
the bridges and streets.

602
00:18:20,300 --> 00:18:21,499
These are the unpaved streets.

603
00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:23,059
This is where we should pave them,

604
00:18:23,060 --> 00:18:24,709
and so on and so forth.

605
00:18:24,710 --> 00:18:26,749
Planners also recommend that Austin

606
00:18:26,750 --> 00:18:28,849
build parks and playgrounds.

607
00:18:28,850 --> 00:18:30,439
They recommend a bunch of upgrades

608
00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:31,999
to what was then called Barton

609
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,229
Springs Park.

610
00:18:33,230 --> 00:18:35,119
Things like building a permanent dam

611
00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:36,790
to create Barton Springs Pool.

612
00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:41,149
But the planners and the elected

613
00:18:41,150 --> 00:18:43,279
officials that hired them also

614
00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:44,749
had something else in mind.

615
00:18:44,750 --> 00:18:47,389
Really, one of the primary goals was

616
00:18:47,390 --> 00:18:49,279
segregation and the separation

617
00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:51,559
of people of color from

618
00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:52,519
white Austin.

619
00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:53,989
They wanted to get all the Blacks to

620
00:18:53,990 --> 00:18:56,569
leave Clarksville

621
00:18:56,570 --> 00:18:58,489
and to leave, which we all and

622
00:18:58,490 --> 00:19:00,409
to populate in a certain

623
00:19:00,410 --> 00:19:02,509
area, uh, for obvious

624
00:19:02,510 --> 00:19:03,769
control.

625
00:19:03,770 --> 00:19:05,539
A key point of segregation at this

626
00:19:05,540 --> 00:19:07,549
time is the idea of separate

627
00:19:07,550 --> 00:19:08,659
but equal.

628
00:19:08,660 --> 00:19:10,609
Although to be clear, it was never

629
00:19:10,610 --> 00:19:11,389
equal.

630
00:19:11,390 --> 00:19:13,489
The city makes an economic argument.

631
00:19:13,490 --> 00:19:14,809
If Black people are spread

632
00:19:14,810 --> 00:19:16,429
throughout Austin, then it has to

633
00:19:16,430 --> 00:19:18,529
provide separate but equal schools

634
00:19:18,530 --> 00:19:20,509
and parks in all these different

635
00:19:20,510 --> 00:19:21,199
neighborhoods.

636
00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,299
To be able to produce equal

637
00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:25,459
facilities, municipal facilities

638
00:19:25,460 --> 00:19:26,569
in all of these areas is going to

639
00:19:26,570 --> 00:19:27,589
cost a lot of money.

640
00:19:27,590 --> 00:19:29,389
It's going to be expensive.

641
00:19:29,390 --> 00:19:30,889
And Austin leaders can't just draw

642
00:19:30,890 --> 00:19:32,719
maps and say, okay, only white

643
00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:33,769
people can live here.

644
00:19:33,770 --> 00:19:35,779
Only Black people can live here.

645
00:19:35,780 --> 00:19:37,759
Even in the 1920s, this was

646
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:38,959
unconstitutional.

647
00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,149
And so what they decide to do here

648
00:19:41,150 --> 00:19:43,189
is the more humane thing, according

649
00:19:43,190 --> 00:19:44,989
to them, which is to lure black

650
00:19:44,990 --> 00:19:46,969
people out of these communities

651
00:19:46,970 --> 00:19:48,829
rather than force 'em out.

652
00:19:48,830 --> 00:19:50,779
The idea was they wouldn't

653
00:19:50,780 --> 00:19:52,669
continue to provide you city

654
00:19:52,670 --> 00:19:54,559
services if you

655
00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:56,089
refused to move.

656
00:19:56,090 --> 00:19:57,949
We're not going to have amenities,

657
00:19:57,950 --> 00:19:59,539
so we're not going to have sewage.

658
00:19:59,540 --> 00:20:01,189
We're not going to have paved roads,

659
00:20:01,190 --> 00:20:02,749
we're not going to have electricity

660
00:20:02,750 --> 00:20:04,099
in those areas.

661
00:20:04,100 --> 00:20:05,689
But there would be city services,

662
00:20:05,690 --> 00:20:07,519
schools, parks, maybe even

663
00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,289
electricity for Black people

664
00:20:09,290 --> 00:20:10,339
somewhere else.

665
00:20:10,340 --> 00:20:12,169
In East Austin, several blocks

666
00:20:12,170 --> 00:20:14,449
East of what is now I-35.

667
00:20:14,450 --> 00:20:16,459
Out of the 70 pages in this master

668
00:20:16,460 --> 00:20:18,199
plan, the part that will segregate

669
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,479
the city is just two paragraphs

670
00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:21,169
long.

671
00:20:21,170 --> 00:20:22,969
Here's what it says.

672
00:20:22,970 --> 00:20:24,499
There has been considerable talk in

673
00:20:24,500 --> 00:20:26,479
Austin, as well as other cities in

674
00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:27,979
regard to the race segregation

675
00:20:27,980 --> 00:20:29,029
problem.

676
00:20:29,030 --> 00:20:30,499
This problem cannot be solved

677
00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:32,389
legally under any zoning law known

678
00:20:32,390 --> 00:20:33,799
to us at present.

679
00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:35,599
Practically all attempts of such

680
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:37,699
have been proven unconstitutional.

681
00:20:37,700 --> 00:20:39,739
They wanted to do something like

682
00:20:39,740 --> 00:20:41,659
a zoning initiative,

683
00:20:41,660 --> 00:20:43,549
but that their lawyers

684
00:20:43,550 --> 00:20:45,379
had indicated to them that they

685
00:20:45,380 --> 00:20:46,339
couldn't do it.

686
00:20:46,340 --> 00:20:47,989
In our studies in Austin, we have

687
00:20:47,990 --> 00:20:49,609
found that the Negroes are present

688
00:20:49,610 --> 00:20:51,709
in small numbers, in practically

689
00:20:51,710 --> 00:20:53,809
all sections of the city, excepting

690
00:20:53,810 --> 00:20:56,059
the area just east of East Avenue

691
00:20:56,060 --> 00:20:58,339
and south of the city cemetery.

692
00:20:58,340 --> 00:21:00,139
This area seems to be all Negro

693
00:21:00,140 --> 00:21:01,459
population.

694
00:21:01,460 --> 00:21:02,989
It is our recommendation that the

695
00:21:02,990 --> 00:21:04,819
nearest approach to the solution of

696
00:21:04,820 --> 00:21:06,799
the race segregation problem will

697
00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,359
be the recommendation of this

698
00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:09,979
district as a Negro district.

699
00:21:09,980 --> 00:21:11,809
The unstated word is,

700
00:21:11,810 --> 00:21:14,359
we want to put 'em together,

701
00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:15,979
and so we want to find the place

702
00:21:15,980 --> 00:21:17,294
where they're located the most.

703
00:21:17,295 --> 00:21:19,189
And so

704
00:21:19,190 --> 00:21:21,023
it's, it's less costly that way.

705
00:21:21,024 --> 00:21:22,939
And making that

706
00:21:22,940 --> 00:21:25,489
into a black neighborhood.

707
00:21:25,490 --> 00:21:26,839
And then all the facilities

708
00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,909
inconveniences be provided the

709
00:21:28,910 --> 00:21:30,739
Negroes in this district, as

710
00:21:30,740 --> 00:21:32,269
an incentive to draw the Negro

711
00:21:32,270 --> 00:21:34,009
population to this area.

712
00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:35,059
It's not a draw.

713
00:21:35,060 --> 00:21:36,739
It's a forced move.

714
00:21:36,740 --> 00:21:39,589
Because we can't coerce these folks,

715
00:21:39,590 --> 00:21:41,599
because it's unconstitutional,

716
00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:43,549
we will bait them

717
00:21:43,550 --> 00:21:45,559
into moving into

718
00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:47,509
what we have created

719
00:21:47,510 --> 00:21:50,059
as an area for them,

720
00:21:50,060 --> 00:21:51,439
to contain them in.

721
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,149
This will eliminate the necessity of

722
00:21:53,150 --> 00:21:54,799
duplication of white and black

723
00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,199
schools, white and black parks

724
00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,999
and other duplicate facilities for

725
00:21:59,000 --> 00:21:59,869
this area.

726
00:21:59,870 --> 00:22:01,087
We want to be separate from you

727
00:22:01,088 --> 00:22:03,199
people, make no ifs, ands,

728
00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:04,729
buts about it.

729
00:22:04,730 --> 00:22:06,079
We don't have any kind of facility,

730
00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,209
not just schools and parks.

731
00:22:08,210 --> 00:22:09,319
We don't want to have any kind of

732
00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,599
facility for Blacks and whites

733
00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:12,769
go together. That's what that

734
00:22:12,770 --> 00:22:13,669
sentence says.

735
00:22:13,670 --> 00:22:15,199
We are recommending that sufficient

736
00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,029
area be acquired adjoining the

737
00:22:17,030 --> 00:22:18,979
Negro High School to provide

738
00:22:18,980 --> 00:22:21,019
adequate space for a complete Negro

739
00:22:21,020 --> 00:22:22,939
play field in connection with

740
00:22:22,940 --> 00:22:25,009
the Negro High School.

741
00:22:25,010 --> 00:22:26,689
We further recommend that the Negro

742
00:22:26,690 --> 00:22:28,879
schools in this area be provided

743
00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:30,679
with ample and adequate playground

744
00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,719
space and facilities similar

745
00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,460
to the white schools of the city.

746
00:22:35,990 --> 00:22:37,999
An all white City Council adopts

747
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,339
the plan in March 1928.

748
00:22:43,630 --> 00:22:45,099
Overall, we've seen it was very

749
00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:46,100
successful. But

750
00:22:46,990 --> 00:22:49,299
it wasn't, you know, one day

751
00:22:49,300 --> 00:22:50,499
they're here and one day they're

752
00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:52,359
gone kind of thing.

753
00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:55,029
But ultimately, as we've seen,

754
00:22:55,030 --> 00:22:57,279
the plan did work in

755
00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,199
having most African-Americans

756
00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,719
moved to East Austin.

757
00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,389
By 1930, nearly 80%

758
00:23:04,390 --> 00:23:06,219
of Austin's black population

759
00:23:06,220 --> 00:23:08,229
was living in East Austin.

760
00:23:08,230 --> 00:23:10,029
And in some cases, facilities were

761
00:23:10,030 --> 00:23:12,159
actually picked up and moved across

762
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:12,669
town.

763
00:23:12,670 --> 00:23:14,589
Four years after the 1928

764
00:23:14,590 --> 00:23:16,419
plan passed, officials closed the

765
00:23:16,420 --> 00:23:18,069
school in Wheatville, a freedom

766
00:23:18,070 --> 00:23:20,439
colony west of what is now UT.

767
00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:21,849
They also voted to have the school

768
00:23:21,850 --> 00:23:23,769
building picked up, like literally

769
00:23:23,770 --> 00:23:25,629
dismantled and moved to East Austin

770
00:23:25,630 --> 00:23:27,309
and rebuilt there.

771
00:23:27,310 --> 00:23:28,989
While the city of Austin didn't on

772
00:23:28,990 --> 00:23:31,719
paper force people to move, they

773
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:33,219
were not given a choice.

774
00:23:33,220 --> 00:23:35,349
You know, not having a paved street,

775
00:23:35,350 --> 00:23:37,539
not having electricity, that's fine.

776
00:23:37,540 --> 00:23:39,549
But for me, as a parent, I wouldn't

777
00:23:39,550 --> 00:23:41,589
be willing to have my children

778
00:23:41,590 --> 00:23:43,689
cross town going to and from school

779
00:23:43,690 --> 00:23:45,789
every day in order to

780
00:23:45,790 --> 00:23:47,529
achieve their education.

781
00:23:47,530 --> 00:23:49,689
They did it in a way

782
00:23:49,690 --> 00:23:51,579
to where it would appear, where

783
00:23:51,580 --> 00:23:52,719
they could have plausible

784
00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,609
deniability about what their

785
00:23:54,610 --> 00:23:56,859
intentions were.

786
00:23:56,860 --> 00:23:58,749
And so they didn't just come out

787
00:23:58,750 --> 00:24:01,539
and force you,

788
00:24:01,540 --> 00:24:03,399
but they made it to where you had to

789
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:04,989
go, where they could say, well, you

790
00:24:04,990 --> 00:24:06,189
have a choice.

791
00:24:06,190 --> 00:24:08,049
So they tried to make it

792
00:24:08,050 --> 00:24:09,969
that that kind of hocus

793
00:24:09,970 --> 00:24:12,219
pocus is

794
00:24:12,220 --> 00:24:13,599
what they were perpetrating on the

795
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:14,439
public.

796
00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,389
But I think that when it's all said

797
00:24:16,390 --> 00:24:18,819
and done, it was really a force.

798
00:24:18,820 --> 00:24:20,829
The 1928 plan, doesn't directly

799
00:24:20,830 --> 00:24:22,929
mention Hispanic people, but

800
00:24:22,930 --> 00:24:25,389
it ultimately affected them too.

801
00:24:25,390 --> 00:24:27,099
Neighborhoods they lived in west of

802
00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:29,019
what is now I-35 were

803
00:24:29,020 --> 00:24:31,059
condemned for redevelopment,

804
00:24:31,060 --> 00:24:32,739
and low income Hispanic residents

805
00:24:32,740 --> 00:24:34,689
eventually moved east.

806
00:24:34,690 --> 00:24:36,579
Meanwhile, some black families

807
00:24:36,580 --> 00:24:38,619
remained in freedom colonies in West

808
00:24:38,620 --> 00:24:41,019
Austin for decades, especially

809
00:24:41,020 --> 00:24:42,039
in Clarksville.

810
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:43,419
We actually spoke to some people

811
00:24:43,420 --> 00:24:44,559
whose families didn't leave

812
00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:46,989
Clarksville until the 1970s.

813
00:24:46,990 --> 00:24:48,819
Whenever they left, whether it was

814
00:24:48,820 --> 00:24:51,309
1930 or 1970,

815
00:24:51,310 --> 00:24:53,139
Bledsoe says getting pushed out

816
00:24:53,140 --> 00:24:55,089
of these communities would have been

817
00:24:55,090 --> 00:24:56,889
incredibly traumatic.

818
00:24:56,890 --> 00:24:59,979
Your support network is gone.

819
00:24:59,980 --> 00:25:02,019
Your family network

820
00:25:02,020 --> 00:25:03,909
is destroyed.

821
00:25:04,990 --> 00:25:07,419
You have to go to

822
00:25:07,420 --> 00:25:09,729
different schools

823
00:25:09,730 --> 00:25:11,499
and property that you may actually

824
00:25:11,500 --> 00:25:13,659
love and cherish is

825
00:25:13,660 --> 00:25:15,459
no longer going to be

826
00:25:16,510 --> 00:25:18,399
yours, and there's nothing you can

827
00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:19,729
do about it.

828
00:25:19,730 --> 00:25:20,949
Not too many things that would be

829
00:25:20,950 --> 00:25:22,150
more humiliating

830
00:25:23,380 --> 00:25:25,059
than that. And you realize this is

831
00:25:25,060 --> 00:25:27,099
not happening to other people,

832
00:25:27,100 --> 00:25:28,929
but it's happening to you.

833
00:25:28,930 --> 00:25:30,789
And this plan to segregate Austin

834
00:25:30,790 --> 00:25:32,619
nearly a century ago, it's part of

835
00:25:32,620 --> 00:25:33,819
a pattern.

836
00:25:33,820 --> 00:25:36,219
It'll happen again and again.

837
00:25:36,220 --> 00:25:38,109
These black folks, when they

838
00:25:38,110 --> 00:25:39,969
first come to Austin, settle down

839
00:25:39,970 --> 00:25:41,019
in the places that white folks

840
00:25:41,020 --> 00:25:42,429
didn't want. And as soon as white

841
00:25:42,430 --> 00:25:43,629
folks want them, then they get

842
00:25:43,630 --> 00:25:45,519
shuffled off to other places

843
00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:47,409
that, you know, where white

844
00:25:47,410 --> 00:25:48,369
folks wanted to be.

845
00:25:48,370 --> 00:25:50,349
And as soon as those got to be,

846
00:25:50,350 --> 00:25:51,849
you know, desirable, then they're

847
00:25:51,850 --> 00:25:53,290
shuffled off to someplace else.

848
00:25:55,300 --> 00:25:56,889
But what happened once all these

849
00:25:56,890 --> 00:25:58,719
people were forced to move to East

850
00:25:58,720 --> 00:25:59,439
Austin?

851
00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:00,699
Black people did what Black people

852
00:26:00,700 --> 00:26:02,289
do, and they always figure out a

853
00:26:02,290 --> 00:26:03,729
way.

854
00:26:03,730 --> 00:26:04,989
More after the break.

855
00:26:15,270 --> 00:26:17,339
Within years of the 1928

856
00:26:17,340 --> 00:26:19,319
master plan passing, nearly

857
00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:20,669
all of the city's black residents

858
00:26:20,670 --> 00:26:22,469
lived in East Austin.

859
00:26:22,470 --> 00:26:23,939
They were not welcome in the rest of

860
00:26:23,940 --> 00:26:26,129
the city. They couldn't go to UT.

861
00:26:26,130 --> 00:26:27,299
They couldn't swim at Barton

862
00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:28,109
Springs.

863
00:26:28,110 --> 00:26:29,579
They couldn't get mortgages from the

864
00:26:29,580 --> 00:26:30,389
bank.

865
00:26:30,390 --> 00:26:32,159
They couldn't even try on clothes at

866
00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:33,869
Scarborough's, a department store

867
00:26:33,870 --> 00:26:34,979
downtown.

868
00:26:34,980 --> 00:26:37,079
So living east of what is now

869
00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,299
I-35, Black Austinites

870
00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:40,709
built their own world.

871
00:26:40,710 --> 00:26:42,599
I thought the community

872
00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:43,600
ended at IH35.

873
00:26:45,210 --> 00:26:47,339
And 'cause we had everything

874
00:26:47,340 --> 00:26:48,899
we needed right here.

875
00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:50,579
This is Brenda Mims Malik.

876
00:26:50,580 --> 00:26:51,989
She grew up in East Austin in the

877
00:26:51,990 --> 00:26:53,609
fifties and sixties.

878
00:26:53,610 --> 00:26:55,139
We had our schools, we had our

879
00:26:55,140 --> 00:26:56,669
businesses.

880
00:26:56,670 --> 00:26:59,153
We had our movie, you know, our

881
00:26:59,154 --> 00:26:59,369
entertainment.

882
00:26:59,370 --> 00:27:01,289
There was the Harlem Theater, known

883
00:27:01,290 --> 00:27:02,939
for its chili burgers and for

884
00:27:02,940 --> 00:27:04,529
playing movies you couldn't see

885
00:27:04,530 --> 00:27:05,819
anywhere else in the city.

886
00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,709
Imitation of Life.

887
00:27:08,710 --> 00:27:10,469
I'd like to hold you in my arms once

888
00:27:10,470 --> 00:27:12,329
more, like you were still

889
00:27:12,330 --> 00:27:13,330
my baby.

890
00:27:14,130 --> 00:27:15,689
All right.

891
00:27:15,690 --> 00:27:16,690
Oh.

892
00:27:17,610 --> 00:27:18,694
[inaudible] Oh, my baby ...

893
00:27:19,740 --> 00:27:22,289
That played, I believe,

894
00:27:22,290 --> 00:27:23,589
twice a year.

895
00:27:23,590 --> 00:27:24,590
An Imitation. An imitation of Life.

896
00:27:37,830 --> 00:27:39,479
The Harlem Theater was on East 12th

897
00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:40,739
Street. You could get there by

898
00:27:40,740 --> 00:27:42,389
riding the trolley that went up and

899
00:27:42,390 --> 00:27:43,439
down the neighborhood.

900
00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:45,479
And my brother and I used to,

901
00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,309
you know, just get on it for the

902
00:27:47,310 --> 00:27:48,449
fun of it. I think it was like a

903
00:27:48,450 --> 00:27:49,979
nickel or something like that.

904
00:27:49,980 --> 00:27:51,599
And we'd go to the end of it, turn

905
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:52,709
around and come back.

906
00:27:52,710 --> 00:27:54,479
Ada Harden is another lifelong

907
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:55,889
resident of East Austin.

908
00:27:55,890 --> 00:27:57,749
My dad owned a

909
00:27:57,750 --> 00:27:59,819
service station, body and paint shop

910
00:27:59,820 --> 00:28:01,499
and service station, about three

911
00:28:01,500 --> 00:28:02,699
blocks down.

912
00:28:02,700 --> 00:28:04,379
And it was all on the same street.

913
00:28:04,380 --> 00:28:05,399
A couple of blocks south.

914
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:07,409
And you hit East 11th Street, the

915
00:28:07,410 --> 00:28:08,579
entertainment district.

916
00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:11,719
That's where, if you wanted to hear

917
00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:13,349
blues or whatever, that's where you

918
00:28:13,350 --> 00:28:13,619
went.

919
00:28:13,620 --> 00:28:15,269
Charles Ernie is a former city

920
00:28:15,270 --> 00:28:16,229
council member.

921
00:28:16,230 --> 00:28:17,489
He remembers a place called

922
00:28:17,490 --> 00:28:18,749
Charlie's Playhouse.

923
00:28:18,750 --> 00:28:20,729
They had loud music and

924
00:28:20,730 --> 00:28:21,730
dancing.

925
00:28:26,070 --> 00:28:27,749
I met my first wife in Charlie's

926
00:28:27,750 --> 00:28:28,979
Playhouse.

927
00:28:28,980 --> 00:28:30,509
There was also the Victory Grill,

928
00:28:30,510 --> 00:28:31,799
the Deluxe Hotel.

929
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,509
Maybe other people met their wives

930
00:28:33,510 --> 00:28:35,609
or husbands at these places.

931
00:28:35,610 --> 00:28:36,749
Those were the good times.

932
00:28:36,750 --> 00:28:37,750
Those were the good times.

933
00:28:46,100 --> 00:28:48,079
But in the early seventies, things

934
00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:49,459
started to change.

935
00:28:49,460 --> 00:28:51,289
For one, the Harlem Theater shut

936
00:28:51,290 --> 00:28:51,859
down.

937
00:28:51,860 --> 00:28:53,749
I remember it closed.

938
00:28:53,750 --> 00:28:55,669
And then, I also remember that

939
00:28:55,670 --> 00:28:56,749
it burned down.

940
00:28:56,750 --> 00:28:57,750
So, um,

941
00:28:58,670 --> 00:29:00,679
those were some tumultuous times

942
00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:01,752
for us because that was also

943
00:29:03,290 --> 00:29:05,209
around the time that the high

944
00:29:05,210 --> 00:29:06,109
school closed.

945
00:29:06,110 --> 00:29:07,639
Anderson High School shut down in

946
00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:09,499
1971 because of

947
00:29:09,500 --> 00:29:11,359
a desegregation order from a federal

948
00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:12,349
judge.

949
00:29:12,350 --> 00:29:13,279
Many people who grew up in the

950
00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:14,689
neighborhood back then talk about

951
00:29:14,690 --> 00:29:17,059
how the push to desegregate the city

952
00:29:17,060 --> 00:29:18,799
was the eventual downfall of East

953
00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:19,609
Austin.

954
00:29:19,610 --> 00:29:21,289
What had happened now was that you

955
00:29:21,290 --> 00:29:23,179
could go to these

956
00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:25,039
other clubs across town

957
00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:26,899
that now played the music that only

958
00:29:26,900 --> 00:29:28,639
Charlie's Playhouse used to play.

959
00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:30,109
People started spending money

960
00:29:30,110 --> 00:29:31,759
outside of the neighborhood.

961
00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:33,559
And black owned businesses started

962
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:34,609
to close.

963
00:29:34,610 --> 00:29:36,169
The buildings stayed vacant.

964
00:29:36,170 --> 00:29:38,359
And a lot of the places were just

965
00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:39,919
havens for drug dealers and

966
00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:41,389
prostitutes.

967
00:29:41,390 --> 00:29:43,579
So now it's not an entertainment

968
00:29:43,580 --> 00:29:44,580
center for the community like

969
00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:47,899
it was when Charlie's Playhouse was

970
00:29:47,900 --> 00:29:48,559
there.

971
00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:49,789
I know a lot of folks don't want to

972
00:29:49,790 --> 00:29:51,139
talk about this, but I remember

973
00:29:51,140 --> 00:29:52,969
gangs in old East

974
00:29:52,970 --> 00:29:53,629
Austin.

975
00:29:53,630 --> 00:29:55,429
This is Natasha Harper Madison.

976
00:29:55,430 --> 00:29:56,929
She's a city council member who grew

977
00:29:56,930 --> 00:29:58,879
up in East Austin in the eighties.

978
00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,429
I remember, you know,

979
00:30:01,430 --> 00:30:03,349
drive bys. I remember our house

980
00:30:03,350 --> 00:30:05,479
got shot up. I remember when

981
00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:07,549
crack hit communities

982
00:30:07,550 --> 00:30:09,589
across this country, it hit

983
00:30:09,590 --> 00:30:10,471
historic East Austin too.

984
00:30:10,472 --> 00:30:12,469
Families started

985
00:30:12,470 --> 00:30:14,389
moving out of East Austin, and

986
00:30:14,390 --> 00:30:15,709
in big numbers.

987
00:30:15,710 --> 00:30:18,469
Between 1970 and 1990,

988
00:30:18,470 --> 00:30:19,969
about half of the neighborhood's

989
00:30:19,970 --> 00:30:22,369
Black residents left.

990
00:30:22,370 --> 00:30:24,439
Then in the 1990s, the city started

991
00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:26,119
a campaign to bring more development

992
00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:27,109
to East Austin.

993
00:30:27,110 --> 00:30:28,129
Land was cheap.

994
00:30:28,130 --> 00:30:30,439
It had been undervalued for decades,

995
00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:31,999
and as downtown got built out, it

996
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:33,919
made sense to start building in East

997
00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:34,729
Austin.

998
00:30:34,730 --> 00:30:36,649
As soon as you start

999
00:30:36,650 --> 00:30:38,539
eliminating some of those barriers

1000
00:30:38,540 --> 00:30:39,540
to development. You

1001
00:30:40,550 --> 00:30:41,929
can look at downtown.

1002
00:30:41,930 --> 00:30:43,459
You're sitting almost a hop, skip

1003
00:30:43,460 --> 00:30:44,460
and a jump from downtown. It

1004
00:30:45,650 --> 00:30:47,479
is going to change.

1005
00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:48,979
The value of that, that

1006
00:30:48,980 --> 00:30:50,209
neighborhood, because of its

1007
00:30:50,210 --> 00:30:51,979
proximity to downtown, is just too

1008
00:30:51,980 --> 00:30:52,980
great.

1009
00:30:53,420 --> 00:30:55,069
I mean, I distinctly remember the

1010
00:30:55,070 --> 00:30:57,109
first time I saw, you know, a

1011
00:30:57,110 --> 00:30:58,999
white lady jogging down the street,

1012
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,979
distinctly remember, I thought

1013
00:31:00,980 --> 00:31:02,089
she was in trouble.

1014
00:31:02,090 --> 00:31:04,039
My mom just said, "I think she's

1015
00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,499
jogging." You know, I remember

1016
00:31:06,500 --> 00:31:08,779
starting to see more Anglo

1017
00:31:08,780 --> 00:31:10,669
neighbors. I mean, I distinctly

1018
00:31:10,670 --> 00:31:12,739
remember sort of very slowly

1019
00:31:12,740 --> 00:31:14,839
watching the change.

1020
00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:16,789
When the money decided to come

1021
00:31:16,790 --> 00:31:17,790
into the neighborhood, then

1022
00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:20,569
the money brought with it the

1023
00:31:20,570 --> 00:31:21,570
attention.

1024
00:31:28,910 --> 00:31:30,949
Which brings us back to 2010

1025
00:31:30,950 --> 00:31:32,869
and the man in the bank.

1026
00:31:32,870 --> 00:31:35,179
He said, give it about ten years

1027
00:31:35,180 --> 00:31:36,829
and you'll see.

1028
00:31:36,830 --> 00:31:38,569
So I always remembered that.

1029
00:31:38,570 --> 00:31:39,799
Part of what that man in the bank

1030
00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:41,479
was probably getting out was that

1031
00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:43,339
starting in 2000,

1032
00:31:43,340 --> 00:31:44,869
Austin became one of the fastest

1033
00:31:44,870 --> 00:31:46,669
growing cities in the country.

1034
00:31:46,670 --> 00:31:47,989
It had over half a million people,

1035
00:31:47,990 --> 00:31:50,749
obviously, and it grew at 20.4%.

1036
00:31:50,750 --> 00:31:51,799
This is Eric Ting.

1037
00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,449
He's a professor at the University

1038
00:31:53,450 --> 00:31:54,679
of Texas.

1039
00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:56,029
He's talking about Austin's growth

1040
00:31:56,030 --> 00:31:57,046
in the decade between 2000 and

1041
00:31:58,640 --> 00:31:59,119
2010.

1042
00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,129
As a general rule, if

1043
00:32:01,130 --> 00:32:03,169
a city is in double digit growth

1044
00:32:03,170 --> 00:32:04,909
like that, it shouldn't see a

1045
00:32:04,910 --> 00:32:06,829
decline in any major

1046
00:32:06,830 --> 00:32:08,029
racial group.

1047
00:32:08,030 --> 00:32:09,979
What Tang saying is that as the city

1048
00:32:09,980 --> 00:32:11,959
grows, so does the number of

1049
00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:13,969
white, Black, Latino and

1050
00:32:13,970 --> 00:32:15,829
Asian-American residents.

1051
00:32:15,830 --> 00:32:17,599
The city is getting bigger, and so

1052
00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,189
is the number of people living here

1053
00:32:19,190 --> 00:32:20,719
across racial groups.

1054
00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:22,759
But by 2010, this was not

1055
00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:24,229
happening in Austin.

1056
00:32:24,230 --> 00:32:25,230
It turned out that

1057
00:32:26,290 --> 00:32:28,179
African-Americans were the

1058
00:32:28,180 --> 00:32:30,099
only group during this

1059
00:32:30,100 --> 00:32:31,989
period of remarkable growth to

1060
00:32:31,990 --> 00:32:33,369
see losses.

1061
00:32:33,370 --> 00:32:34,539
And again, I'm not talking just

1062
00:32:34,540 --> 00:32:36,519
about the share of its

1063
00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:37,629
population. I'm talking about an

1064
00:32:37,630 --> 00:32:39,279
absolute numerical loss.

1065
00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:41,469
Austin's Black population shrank

1066
00:32:41,470 --> 00:32:43,869
by nearly 4000 people.

1067
00:32:43,870 --> 00:32:45,129
That made Austin different than

1068
00:32:45,130 --> 00:32:46,749
other big growing cities in the

1069
00:32:46,750 --> 00:32:47,469
U.S..

1070
00:32:47,470 --> 00:32:48,909
Cities grow that fast.

1071
00:32:48,910 --> 00:32:50,079
What does that suggest? And suggests

1072
00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:51,190
that the city is still

1073
00:32:52,210 --> 00:32:54,099
a place of opportunity for a

1074
00:32:54,100 --> 00:32:55,599
number of different people, of

1075
00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:56,919
different class backgrounds, not

1076
00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,739
just the high income earners.

1077
00:32:59,740 --> 00:33:02,079
We shouldn't see these losses,

1078
00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:03,759
and yet we did.

1079
00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:05,739
Tang argues the movement of Black

1080
00:33:05,740 --> 00:33:07,749
people out of the city can be traced

1081
00:33:07,750 --> 00:33:09,909
back to the 1928 plan,

1082
00:33:09,910 --> 00:33:11,559
back to when the city forced black

1083
00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:13,809
residents to move to East Austin.

1084
00:33:13,810 --> 00:33:15,519
You see, East Austin was a majority

1085
00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:17,199
black neighborhood into the late

1086
00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,209
nineties. But around the same time,

1087
00:33:19,210 --> 00:33:21,009
Austin began experiencing a real

1088
00:33:21,010 --> 00:33:22,569
economic boom.

1089
00:33:22,570 --> 00:33:24,429
More businesses opened downtown

1090
00:33:24,430 --> 00:33:26,349
and more workers needed places

1091
00:33:26,350 --> 00:33:27,429
to live.

1092
00:33:27,430 --> 00:33:28,959
East Austin was close to downtown

1093
00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:30,699
and property was cheap.

1094
00:33:30,700 --> 00:33:32,439
Whiter, wealthier people started

1095
00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:33,579
moving in.

1096
00:33:33,580 --> 00:33:35,019
Without protections for current

1097
00:33:35,020 --> 00:33:37,419
residents, property values and taxes

1098
00:33:37,420 --> 00:33:38,169
rose.

1099
00:33:38,170 --> 00:33:39,369
And those who lived there for

1100
00:33:39,370 --> 00:33:41,589
decades got priced out.

1101
00:33:41,590 --> 00:33:43,389
What we're talking about here is

1102
00:33:43,390 --> 00:33:44,499
gentrification.

1103
00:33:44,500 --> 00:33:46,299
You have to ask yourself, if there

1104
00:33:46,300 --> 00:33:48,309
were black communities in different

1105
00:33:48,310 --> 00:33:49,615
parts of Austin,

1106
00:33:51,500 --> 00:33:53,359
as there are, say, in

1107
00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:55,219
Houston or Dallas, that it's

1108
00:33:55,220 --> 00:33:56,873
not just concentrated in one area,

1109
00:33:56,874 --> 00:33:58,709
would you have

1110
00:33:58,710 --> 00:34:00,839
seen, then, the Black population

1111
00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:02,849
so singularly

1112
00:34:02,850 --> 00:34:04,919
impacted by gentrification?

1113
00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:05,920
Probably not.

1114
00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,178
When Black residents started leaving

1115
00:34:09,179 --> 00:34:11,099
East Austin, they left the city

1116
00:34:11,100 --> 00:34:12,029
entirely.

1117
00:34:12,030 --> 00:34:13,499
Austin was at the same time becoming

1118
00:34:13,500 --> 00:34:15,329
less affordable across the

1119
00:34:15,330 --> 00:34:16,829
board in all areas.

1120
00:34:16,830 --> 00:34:18,569
And at the same time they're looking

1121
00:34:18,570 --> 00:34:19,649
at their housing options and they're

1122
00:34:19,650 --> 00:34:20,968
saying, I can get, you know, more

1123
00:34:20,969 --> 00:34:22,888
square footage and

1124
00:34:22,889 --> 00:34:24,718
more equity in that home than to

1125
00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:26,609
try to buy something here in Austin.

1126
00:34:26,610 --> 00:34:28,709
Plus, there's not a cultural

1127
00:34:28,710 --> 00:34:30,839
kind of political draw to being

1128
00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:32,789
here, in a city

1129
00:34:32,790 --> 00:34:35,009
where historically I've felt

1130
00:34:35,010 --> 00:34:36,629
like a second class citizen.

1131
00:34:36,630 --> 00:34:38,789
Why not try another area?

1132
00:34:38,790 --> 00:34:40,589
Like Pflugerville or Manor.

1133
00:34:40,590 --> 00:34:41,999
Many people moved to these suburbs

1134
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,979
north and east of the city.

1135
00:34:43,980 --> 00:34:45,749
20 years ago, you could buy a house

1136
00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:48,928
in East Austin for $60,000.

1137
00:34:48,929 --> 00:34:50,939
Now, homes there sell for

1138
00:34:50,940 --> 00:34:52,380
ten times that.

1139
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:56,218
Austin's growth, its population

1140
00:34:56,219 --> 00:34:57,219
boom,

1141
00:34:58,290 --> 00:35:00,239
it's real estate boom.

1142
00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:02,639
This is all not just

1143
00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:03,640
recent.

1144
00:35:03,990 --> 00:35:05,219
It is brand new.

1145
00:35:06,810 --> 00:35:08,819
And, you know, I think we're

1146
00:35:08,820 --> 00:35:10,679
living, you know,

1147
00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:11,680
the history of the present.

1148
00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:14,879
This is the moment in which

1149
00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,799
things turn

1150
00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:17,879
with rapid speed.

1151
00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:19,709
Right. But, but they're

1152
00:35:19,710 --> 00:35:21,089
staged through

1153
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,210
decades of

1154
00:35:25,350 --> 00:35:27,209
inequality, promulgated

1155
00:35:27,210 --> 00:35:29,099
by things like the 1928 master plan.

1156
00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:34,909
I'm, uh, I guess I would say a

1157
00:35:34,910 --> 00:35:36,739
good representation of

1158
00:35:36,740 --> 00:35:38,929
of what you would call Black Austin.

1159
00:35:38,930 --> 00:35:40,819
I'm very known in the community.

1160
00:35:40,820 --> 00:35:42,379
Um, so yeah.

1161
00:35:42,380 --> 00:35:43,849
Remember Donald Dallas?

1162
00:35:43,850 --> 00:35:45,109
We met his family at the beginning

1163
00:35:45,110 --> 00:35:46,129
of this episode.

1164
00:35:46,130 --> 00:35:47,299
Donald's one of many black

1165
00:35:47,300 --> 00:35:48,769
Austinites who've left the city in

1166
00:35:48,770 --> 00:35:49,879
recent years.

1167
00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:51,589
He now lives in Round Rock, a suburb

1168
00:35:51,590 --> 00:35:53,239
north of Austin, where he works as a

1169
00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:54,319
teacher.

1170
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:55,909
Donald says he wishes he could have

1171
00:35:55,910 --> 00:35:57,229
stayed on the Eastside.

1172
00:35:57,230 --> 00:35:57,978
But ...

1173
00:35:57,979 --> 00:35:59,959
It wasn't no means of affordability

1174
00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:01,249
for me to stay on the Eastside.

1175
00:36:01,250 --> 00:36:03,109
So I haven't had a place on

1176
00:36:03,110 --> 00:36:04,549
the Eastside by myself.

1177
00:36:04,550 --> 00:36:06,799
Leaving Austin wasn't easy.

1178
00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:08,569
Donald comes from a long line of

1179
00:36:08,570 --> 00:36:09,559
Austinites.

1180
00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:10,999
He can trace his family back to one

1181
00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:12,679
of the city's original Freedmen's

1182
00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:13,489
colonies.

1183
00:36:13,490 --> 00:36:15,139
On his father's side, his great

1184
00:36:15,140 --> 00:36:17,149
great great grandfather, Thomas

1185
00:36:17,150 --> 00:36:19,039
Kincheon, founded Kincheonville in

1186
00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:20,449
the 1860s.

1187
00:36:20,450 --> 00:36:21,709
It was a farming community in

1188
00:36:21,710 --> 00:36:23,059
Southwest Austin.

1189
00:36:23,060 --> 00:36:24,769
Donald's family eventually moved to

1190
00:36:24,770 --> 00:36:26,689
East Austin, which he says was

1191
00:36:26,690 --> 00:36:28,849
a direct result of the 1928

1192
00:36:28,850 --> 00:36:29,389
plan.

1193
00:36:29,390 --> 00:36:31,309
So what my dad and my uncle had told

1194
00:36:31,310 --> 00:36:34,429
me was they turned off all

1195
00:36:34,430 --> 00:36:36,379
city resources.

1196
00:36:36,380 --> 00:36:38,419
They would never come and

1197
00:36:38,420 --> 00:36:40,069
pave our roads.

1198
00:36:40,070 --> 00:36:41,689
They would never come and, you know,

1199
00:36:41,690 --> 00:36:44,529
like, upgrade that area.

1200
00:36:44,530 --> 00:36:47,239
Um, which caused,

1201
00:36:47,240 --> 00:36:49,109
caused us and our family

1202
00:36:49,110 --> 00:36:51,079
and the community in it and in

1203
00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:52,459
hole to move.

1204
00:36:52,460 --> 00:36:53,719
It's only recently that Donald

1205
00:36:53,720 --> 00:36:54,979
learned about this part of his

1206
00:36:54,980 --> 00:36:56,149
family's history.

1207
00:36:56,150 --> 00:36:57,859
A few years ago, he got involved

1208
00:36:57,860 --> 00:36:59,329
with an organization called the

1209
00:36:59,330 --> 00:37:01,249
Black Austin Coalition.

1210
00:37:01,250 --> 00:37:02,509
They've been pushing the city to

1211
00:37:02,510 --> 00:37:04,339
address what the 1928 plan

1212
00:37:04,340 --> 00:37:05,237
did.

1213
00:37:05,238 --> 00:37:06,199
And doing this kind of work, Donald

1214
00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,269
says, made him curious about where

1215
00:37:08,270 --> 00:37:09,259
he came from.

1216
00:37:09,260 --> 00:37:11,119
I have a sense of fight, like,

1217
00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:12,889
to fight for this town, like, and I

1218
00:37:12,890 --> 00:37:14,179
didn't know where that urge was

1219
00:37:14,180 --> 00:37:15,919
coming from, like, it's so powerful.

1220
00:37:17,780 --> 00:37:19,249
And my dad was like, yeah, like you

1221
00:37:19,250 --> 00:37:20,569
deeply rooted here.

1222
00:37:20,570 --> 00:37:21,979
And when Donald talks about his

1223
00:37:21,980 --> 00:37:23,569
childhood in the nineties and the

1224
00:37:23,570 --> 00:37:25,729
East Austin, he knew as a kid,

1225
00:37:25,730 --> 00:37:27,989
he gets this big grin on his face.

1226
00:37:27,990 --> 00:37:30,079
Everything was flourishing.

1227
00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:31,459
Everybody knew each other.

1228
00:37:31,460 --> 00:37:33,319
It was, like I say, like it was

1229
00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:35,299
one big family.

1230
00:37:35,300 --> 00:37:37,129
His family members owned several

1231
00:37:37,130 --> 00:37:38,659
small businesses and they worked for

1232
00:37:38,660 --> 00:37:40,339
the city. They were bus drivers and

1233
00:37:40,340 --> 00:37:41,389
nurses.

1234
00:37:41,390 --> 00:37:43,249
He says everyone had each other's

1235
00:37:43,250 --> 00:37:44,039
backs.

1236
00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,069
Like we could start youth

1237
00:37:46,070 --> 00:37:47,389
organizations and that'd be

1238
00:37:47,390 --> 00:37:48,650
supported. We can start

1239
00:37:50,060 --> 00:37:51,679
small businesses and that'd be

1240
00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:53,389
supported, like with no problem.

1241
00:37:53,390 --> 00:37:55,219
We didn't, like I said, we were so

1242
00:37:55,220 --> 00:37:57,440
stuck in one confined area,

1243
00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:00,179
we didn't need no business from

1244
00:38:00,180 --> 00:38:01,049
anywhere else.

1245
00:38:01,050 --> 00:38:04,049
Like all the businesses was driving,

1246
00:38:04,050 --> 00:38:05,050
um,

1247
00:38:06,180 --> 00:38:07,919
the gatherings, the get-togethers,

1248
00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:09,719
like, they was amazing.

1249
00:38:09,720 --> 00:38:11,609
Donald says this all started to

1250
00:38:11,610 --> 00:38:14,279
change for him in the early 2000s.

1251
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:15,779
That's when families he'd grown up

1252
00:38:15,780 --> 00:38:17,969
with started selling their houses.

1253
00:38:17,970 --> 00:38:19,259
So when you started to see your

1254
00:38:19,260 --> 00:38:21,299
family members, like, disperse,

1255
00:38:21,300 --> 00:38:23,669
it started to get real.

1256
00:38:23,670 --> 00:38:24,899
It started to get real, and they was

1257
00:38:24,900 --> 00:38:25,799
tearing down the houses and

1258
00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:27,719
rebuilding the with these

1259
00:38:27,720 --> 00:38:28,619
modern homes.

1260
00:38:28,620 --> 00:38:30,089
Homes that we have never even

1261
00:38:30,090 --> 00:38:31,499
imagined seeing.

1262
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:32,819
So it started to look, yeah, it

1263
00:38:32,820 --> 00:38:33,820
started to look wild.

1264
00:38:36,450 --> 00:38:37,569
All right, if we can get everybody

1265
00:38:37,570 --> 00:38:39,149
to start gathering up over here, if

1266
00:38:39,150 --> 00:38:41,099
you have on a T-shirt,

1267
00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:42,479
we want y'all back here if you got a

1268
00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:43,169
T-shirt on.

1269
00:38:43,170 --> 00:38:45,089
In November 2020, Donald

1270
00:38:45,090 --> 00:38:46,379
and the rest of the Black Austin

1271
00:38:46,380 --> 00:38:48,719
Coalition held a press conference.

1272
00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:50,399
They urged city leaders to recognize

1273
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,439
Austin's history of racism

1274
00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:54,329
and promise to invest in the Black

1275
00:38:54,330 --> 00:38:55,199
community.

1276
00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,269
They brought up the 1928 plan.

1277
00:38:57,270 --> 00:38:58,949
As we look at historical programs

1278
00:38:58,950 --> 00:38:59,969
and policy that the city

1279
00:38:59,970 --> 00:39:01,559
implemented, you will see the

1280
00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:03,329
underlying mistreatment and why

1281
00:39:03,330 --> 00:39:05,339
Black districts no longer exist

1282
00:39:05,340 --> 00:39:06,419
in this city.

1283
00:39:06,420 --> 00:39:08,279
Systematic racism in

1284
00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:09,539
official plans like the Negro

1285
00:39:09,540 --> 00:39:11,429
District of 1928

1286
00:39:11,430 --> 00:39:13,349
or I-35 racial barrier

1287
00:39:13,350 --> 00:39:14,819
has played a role in the removal of

1288
00:39:14,820 --> 00:39:15,989
black success.

1289
00:39:15,990 --> 00:39:17,609
A few months later, the Austin City

1290
00:39:17,610 --> 00:39:20,099
Council promised to study the issue.

1291
00:39:20,100 --> 00:39:21,749
They would hire researchers to put a

1292
00:39:21,750 --> 00:39:23,759
number on how much money Black

1293
00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:25,619
Austinites had lost because of

1294
00:39:25,620 --> 00:39:27,479
racist policies, like the

1295
00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:29,099
1928 plan.

1296
00:39:29,100 --> 00:39:30,839
Last year, researchers at UT

1297
00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:32,519
released their first report.

1298
00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:33,359
They found that when Black

1299
00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:34,649
landowners living throughout the

1300
00:39:34,650 --> 00:39:36,479
city were forced to sell and move

1301
00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:38,429
to East Austin, their descendants

1302
00:39:38,430 --> 00:39:40,529
lost out on $290

1303
00:39:40,530 --> 00:39:42,089
million.

1304
00:39:42,090 --> 00:39:43,619
This is a lot of money.

1305
00:39:43,620 --> 00:39:45,629
And to be clear, this is in today's

1306
00:39:45,630 --> 00:39:46,559
dollars.

1307
00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:49,199
290 million.

1308
00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:51,149
The city isn't planning to pay back

1309
00:39:51,150 --> 00:39:52,919
descendants of people impacted by

1310
00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:54,749
the 1928 plan, but

1311
00:39:54,750 --> 00:39:56,369
they are looking to invest in the

1312
00:39:56,370 --> 00:39:58,979
city's current Black residents.

1313
00:39:58,980 --> 00:40:00,659
They want to help build something

1314
00:40:00,660 --> 00:40:02,489
called a Black embassy

1315
00:40:02,490 --> 00:40:03,959
in East Austin.

1316
00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:05,429
It would be like a resource center

1317
00:40:05,430 --> 00:40:07,469
that supports Black led businesses

1318
00:40:07,470 --> 00:40:08,729
and organizations.

1319
00:40:08,730 --> 00:40:10,499
But it's been more than two years

1320
00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:12,419
since this plan was announced and

1321
00:40:12,420 --> 00:40:14,369
there's still no black embassy.

1322
00:40:14,370 --> 00:40:15,359
When we asked the city what was

1323
00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:17,249
going on, a city official blamed

1324
00:40:17,250 --> 00:40:18,989
the COVID pandemic and leadership

1325
00:40:18,990 --> 00:40:20,579
changes at City hall.

1326
00:40:20,580 --> 00:40:22,589
But for Donald, the city not keeping

1327
00:40:22,590 --> 00:40:24,689
its promises is nothing new.

1328
00:40:24,690 --> 00:40:26,279
He says he's prepared to play the

1329
00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:27,089
long game.

1330
00:40:27,090 --> 00:40:29,009
As far as, like, the building and

1331
00:40:29,010 --> 00:40:30,749
the structure and the promises that

1332
00:40:30,750 --> 00:40:32,889
was kept. We still fighting for it.

1333
00:40:32,890 --> 00:40:34,829
That $290 million just

1334
00:40:34,830 --> 00:40:36,299
scratches the surface.

1335
00:40:36,300 --> 00:40:37,439
What researchers have yet to

1336
00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,629
quantify is the social impact

1337
00:40:39,630 --> 00:40:41,609
of displacement, the loss

1338
00:40:41,610 --> 00:40:43,559
of traditions and landmarks,

1339
00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:45,929
the breaking apart of communities.

1340
00:40:49,020 --> 00:40:50,879
Donald misses the East Austin

1341
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:51,899
he grew up in.

1342
00:40:51,900 --> 00:40:53,729
He still visits family who live

1343
00:40:53,730 --> 00:40:55,739
there, but it's different.

1344
00:40:55,740 --> 00:40:57,539
And he longs for a place he can't

1345
00:40:57,540 --> 00:40:58,859
return to.

1346
00:40:58,860 --> 00:41:00,389
So, like, when that old feel is

1347
00:41:00,390 --> 00:41:02,369
gone, you know, it

1348
00:41:02,370 --> 00:41:04,279
feels kind of funny. You know,

1349
00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:05,579
this is just like when you miss your

1350
00:41:05,580 --> 00:41:07,889
boyfriend or your girlfriend

1351
00:41:07,890 --> 00:41:09,719
or, you know, you miss

1352
00:41:09,720 --> 00:41:11,219
one of your loved ones.

1353
00:41:11,220 --> 00:41:13,649
That aspect of your life is gone

1354
00:41:13,650 --> 00:41:15,630
and you can't get back to it.

1355
00:41:19,110 --> 00:41:20,549
But that doesn't stop him from

1356
00:41:20,550 --> 00:41:21,479
trying.

1357
00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:23,339
Donald often drives a half hour

1358
00:41:23,340 --> 00:41:24,599
from Round Rock to his great

1359
00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:26,489
grandma's house to, at least

1360
00:41:26,490 --> 00:41:28,439
for a while, get some of that

1361
00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:29,849
old feeling back.

1362
00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,239
That was KUT's Marisa Charpentier.

1363
00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:44,839
In five years.

1364
00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:46,729
It'll be the 100th anniversary of

1365
00:41:46,730 --> 00:41:48,769
the 1928 plan.

1366
00:41:48,770 --> 00:41:50,509
I talked to people like Eric Ting,

1367
00:41:50,510 --> 00:41:52,399
Donald Dallas, many of the people

1368
00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,139
we spoke to for this episode.

1369
00:41:54,140 --> 00:41:55,939
And it's clear that the effects of

1370
00:41:55,940 --> 00:41:58,069
this city plan to forcibly segregate

1371
00:41:58,070 --> 00:42:00,199
Austin's residents are still very

1372
00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:01,969
much felt today.

1373
00:42:01,970 --> 00:42:03,799
When data from the 2020 census came

1374
00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:06,529
out, This became even more clear,

1375
00:42:06,530 --> 00:42:08,119
according to these numbers, Austin's

1376
00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:09,649
Black residents, along with the

1377
00:42:09,650 --> 00:42:11,629
city's Hispanic population, have

1378
00:42:11,630 --> 00:42:13,669
continued to move east, so

1379
00:42:13,670 --> 00:42:15,409
far east that people are moving out

1380
00:42:15,410 --> 00:42:17,539
of the city entirely.

1381
00:42:17,540 --> 00:42:19,669
And Austin's racial segregation

1382
00:42:19,670 --> 00:42:21,289
has continued.

1383
00:42:21,290 --> 00:42:23,149
In other words, you are unlikely to

1384
00:42:23,150 --> 00:42:24,769
see people of different races in

1385
00:42:24,770 --> 00:42:26,329
your own neighborhood.

1386
00:42:26,330 --> 00:42:28,009
That's especially true if you're

1387
00:42:28,010 --> 00:42:29,010
white.

1388
00:42:33,420 --> 00:42:35,609
The 1928 plan is one example

1389
00:42:35,610 --> 00:42:37,319
of how people have great power to

1390
00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:39,269
decide where Austinites, present

1391
00:42:39,270 --> 00:42:41,129
and future, can and cannot

1392
00:42:41,130 --> 00:42:42,419
live in this city.

1393
00:42:42,420 --> 00:42:43,709
In Austin's history, there have been

1394
00:42:43,710 --> 00:42:45,539
many more decisions like this

1395
00:42:45,540 --> 00:42:47,399
one. Maybe not with quite such

1396
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:50,099
insidious and racist intentions,

1397
00:42:50,100 --> 00:42:51,749
but in many cases it's the

1398
00:42:51,750 --> 00:42:53,549
unintended consequences that have

1399
00:42:53,550 --> 00:42:55,859
had the same effect.

1400
00:42:55,860 --> 00:42:56,879
We'll look at some of those

1401
00:42:56,880 --> 00:42:58,740
decisions throughout this podcast.

1402
00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:07,559
Growth Machine is a production of

1403
00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:09,629
KUT and KUTX Studios

1404
00:43:09,630 --> 00:43:10,589
in Austin.

1405
00:43:10,590 --> 00:43:12,329
It's produced by me, Marisa

1406
00:43:12,330 --> 00:43:14,219
Charpentier, Mose Buchele,

1407
00:43:14,220 --> 00:43:16,109
Nathan Bernier, Jimmy Maas, and

1408
00:43:16,110 --> 00:43:17,189
Matt Largey.

1409
00:43:17,190 --> 00:43:18,239
Production help from Heather

1410
00:43:18,240 --> 00:43:20,219
Stewart. Technical help from Jake

1411
00:43:20,220 --> 00:43:22,109
Perlman. Stephanie Federico

1412
00:43:22,110 --> 00:43:23,699
is our digital editor.

1413
00:43:23,700 --> 00:43:25,169
Special thanks to Rich Heyman,

1414
00:43:25,170 --> 00:43:27,089
Amanda Jasso, Stephanie Lang,

1415
00:43:27,090 --> 00:43:28,919
Andrew Weber and the Austin History

1416
00:43:28,920 --> 00:43:29,699
Center.

1417
00:43:29,700 --> 00:43:31,439
Special, special thanks to Donald

1418
00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:33,629
Dallas and his family for welcoming

1419
00:43:33,630 --> 00:43:35,279
us into their home.

1420
00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:36,280
There's more at

1421
00:43:37,230 --> 00:43:38,459
kut.org/growthmachine.

1422
00:43:38,460 --> 00:43:39,929
I'm Audrey McGlinchy.

1423
00:43:39,930 --> 00:43:40,930
Thanks for listening.