University of Texas Tower
Austin Most Covertly Racist City in Texas
RECEIVED Tue., May 3, 2005
Howdy y'all,
Last week I attended four of the meetings the City Manager's Office held. They were "focus groups" for African-Americans. I expected a chilly reception. Talk about hard stares, I got them. I am a tall, bearded white man with a rather long ponytail.
The UT Humanities Institute and Waterloo Press published a book last year, Writing Austin's Lives: A Community Portrait. I was able to get some of the African-Americans to be friendlier by reading them the last line of one of the many stories in that book. Plez A. Wooley is the author of "Momma's Crystal Ball.” The main library downtown has the book, and it's in bookstores or at the Austin History Center.
The last line of Mr. Wooley's story reads, "I am embarrassed to say that I am from Austin, because it is such a racist city, especially for African Americans." When I read that line to some of the East Austin folks, they quickly asked to read the whole story. The first line reads, "Austin is beautiful, but the Austin Police Department is trying to kill my style: most black men here have become a victim of racial profiling."
I hoped to meet Mr. Wooley and thank him. He is correct. I have learned something over the 54 years that I have lived here. Austin, Texas is the most covertly racist city in all of Texas. Someone should warn African-Americans who are thinking of moving here. I am certain the City Manager's Office is not going to do that. I must also say: This city's development planning is just a continuation of the same discrimination and segregation that has existed in Austin since before the Civil War.
Last week I attended four of the meetings the City Manager's Office held. They were "focus groups" for African-Americans. I expected a chilly reception. Talk about hard stares, I got them. I am a tall, bearded white man with a rather long ponytail.
The UT Humanities Institute and Waterloo Press published a book last year, Writing Austin's Lives: A Community Portrait. I was able to get some of the African-Americans to be friendlier by reading them the last line of one of the many stories in that book. Plez A. Wooley is the author of "Momma's Crystal Ball.” The main library downtown has the book, and it's in bookstores or at the Austin History Center.
The last line of Mr. Wooley's story reads, "I am embarrassed to say that I am from Austin, because it is such a racist city, especially for African Americans." When I read that line to some of the East Austin folks, they quickly asked to read the whole story. The first line reads, "Austin is beautiful, but the Austin Police Department is trying to kill my style: most black men here have become a victim of racial profiling."
I hoped to meet Mr. Wooley and thank him. He is correct. I have learned something over the 54 years that I have lived here. Austin, Texas is the most covertly racist city in all of Texas. Someone should warn African-Americans who are thinking of moving here. I am certain the City Manager's Office is not going to do that. I must also say: This city's development planning is just a continuation of the same discrimination and segregation that has existed in Austin since before the Civil War.
Rick Hall
