Dougherty Arts Center
City Shuns Black Tourism
RECEIVED Sun., April 10, 2011
Dear Editor,
I'm not so proud about my hometown, as Austin routinely withdrew its fine hospitality from the crowds of African-Americans who visited during Texas Relays weekend.
Aware that traffic snarls up big time, my wife made an errand run on Saturday, crossing Downtown, going south to her favorite stores and her mom's apartment, and then found the regular Texas Relays traffic jam along I-35 on the return, but new this year: barricades at cross streets that prevented her from taking the usual East 11th Street route home! An inconvenience not announced in advance, the cop blocking the way home harshly refused to allow my wife to proceed.
This year's traffic plan resulted in my wife taking verbal abuse from the police, as well as an unexpected, backdoor detour to Airport Boulevard. Add to the dismay a police helicopter flying above this fray. See, Austin was serious about denying a large crowd of African-American visitors (and residents) access to the central city!
To shun black tourism like this makes Austin a "sundown town." When all the roads are closed except the ones pointing out of town, then you have an explicit sundown town. This practice is divisive and shameful.
Contrast that to the reception for South by Southwest or the Republic of Texas Rally. While these fun seekers are frequently (and annoyingly) loud in terms of amplification or exhaust systems, they're given much more freedom to enjoy a whole range of destinations and roads in our city, even to the point of saturation and gridlock of pedestrians, motorcycles, and cars. Why this difference?
I won't even speak about the possibilities for more entertainment choices for honest, fun-seeking African-Americans in our entertainment district at least one or two times a year.
I'm not so proud about my hometown, as Austin routinely withdrew its fine hospitality from the crowds of African-Americans who visited during Texas Relays weekend.
Aware that traffic snarls up big time, my wife made an errand run on Saturday, crossing Downtown, going south to her favorite stores and her mom's apartment, and then found the regular Texas Relays traffic jam along I-35 on the return, but new this year: barricades at cross streets that prevented her from taking the usual East 11th Street route home! An inconvenience not announced in advance, the cop blocking the way home harshly refused to allow my wife to proceed.
This year's traffic plan resulted in my wife taking verbal abuse from the police, as well as an unexpected, backdoor detour to Airport Boulevard. Add to the dismay a police helicopter flying above this fray. See, Austin was serious about denying a large crowd of African-American visitors (and residents) access to the central city!
To shun black tourism like this makes Austin a "sundown town." When all the roads are closed except the ones pointing out of town, then you have an explicit sundown town. This practice is divisive and shameful.
Contrast that to the reception for South by Southwest or the Republic of Texas Rally. While these fun seekers are frequently (and annoyingly) loud in terms of amplification or exhaust systems, they're given much more freedom to enjoy a whole range of destinations and roads in our city, even to the point of saturation and gridlock of pedestrians, motorcycles, and cars. Why this difference?
I won't even speak about the possibilities for more entertainment choices for honest, fun-seeking African-Americans in our entertainment district at least one or two times a year.
Michael Emery
