There are secrets in every city's history, in every state's shadow. As residents of Washington, we must acknowledge the past harm our state - and even our cities - have done. I'm a recent resident of Tri-Cities, having moved here in I've loved our community, and often feel a sense of progressiveness when I'm going about my daily life. But the fact is, I'm white and my perspective is tinted by privilege. The longer I think about the people around me, or the comments I read in community forums, the more I realize that we still have so far to go.
While Hanford brought many jobs to the area, and employed many people of color, there was a strong divide in the community that wanted to keep segregation in place. The original Green Bridge , demolished in , unified the north and south sides of the Columbia River. Today, it's impossible to think about living in the area without driving across the Blue Bridge or Cable Bridge. They're even visual icons that represent our cities in the world beyond. However, the Green Bridge served as more than an easy passage across the river: it also served as a line dividing the white community of Kennewick from the black community of Pasco.
A sign posted on the bridge warned black people they were not allowed in Kennewick after sunset. As a result, the black population of Tri-Cities was forced into East Pasco.
You can see from the maps below how these laws forced segregated communities. Even in , our community was very segregated - it's only in recent years that we have become more generally diverse. You might look at the map above and think "Wow, we've made huge strides in ending our sundown laws! The racism of the past isn't just history - it has shaped, and continues to shape, our local community every day.
If you'd like to make things more positive in the community, the first thing you can do is learn. Jaime Skelton Published: June 19, Share on Facebook Share on Twitter.
