As everywhere in America, Asheville has a long history of racial segregation that continues to marginalize and oppress people of color. At the same time, there are numerous efforts to increase awareness and attempt to address racial inequity and oppression locally.
Background on race in Asheville:
The State of Black Asheville is a comprehensive look at what’s going on in education, healthcare, housing, criminal justice, economics and culture in Asheville; an annual report about racial disparities in Asheville comes out of the findings of a public policy course at UNC Asheville that Dr. Dwight Mullen has been teaching since 2006.
CROSSROADS Summer/Fall 2010: A Publication of the North Carolina Humanities Council: History of urban renewal in Asheville.
URBAN RENEWAL IN ASHEVILLE: A HISTORY OF RACIAL SEGREGATION AND BLACK ACTIVISM (WCU graduate student thesis)
History of African Americans in Buncombe County
An Unmarked Trail: Stories of African Americans in Buncombe County from 1850 to 1950
Color of Asheville History Timeline
Learning about the African American Community in Asheville (blog post)
History of Desegregation in Asheville (blog post)
Renaissance Man: Edward W. Pearson
Bought & Sold: Forgotten documents highlight local slave history
Soaring ideals: Rethinking Asheville’s Vance Monument
Asheville Action: Ami Worthen’s blog has lots of info
Educational Programs:
Building Bridges - Mission is to dismantle racism by fostering relationships that respect diversity, seek understanding and encourage action, provides educational programming paired with a safe place to learn, reflect and discuss.
Racial Equity Institute’s two-day Anti-Racism Workshop focuses on institutional racism. The local organizers have a Facebook page called Racial Equity Institute in Asheville.
Hood Tours - Driving and walking tours exploring Asheville’s historically African-American neighborhoods with artist, poet and visionary DeWayne Barton.
Organizations:
Center for Participatory Change - their mission is “Igniting collective power. Transforming systems of oppression. Healing in community.”
Center for Diversity Education - Provides direct and indirect programming to over 20,000 students, teachers and citizens throughout WNC through exhibits, road shows, a lending library, and staff development opportunities.
WNC Diversity Engagement Coalition - A network of organizations dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion by supporting the professional development, engagement, and inclusion of multicultural professionals within the member organizations in Western North Carolina.
CoThinkk - a giving circle that invests its time, talent and treasure to accelerate positive changes in communities of color in Asheville and Western North Carolina
Just Economics works to educate, advocate, and organize for a just and sustainable local economy that works for all in Western North Carolina. Just Economics Facebook
Asheville SURJ (ASURJ) is a local chapter of a national organization called SURJ (Showing Up For Racial Justice). Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act. Asheville SURJ Web Site
Burton Street Community Association
