Assignments

Dividing Spaces, Defining Races: Space, Segregation, and Law in Virginia, 1900s-1920s (Digital Project Prospectus)

A act passed in 1912 in Virginia claimed in eugenicist fashion that "the preservation of the public morals, public health, and public order...is endangered by the residence of white and colored people in close proximity to one another." So, the act authorized city councils to create "segregation districts" and redraw city maps to effectively separate "white" and "colored" people in residential areas. Several cities in Virginia, including Richmond and Lynchburg, drew such maps in an effort to make the white race in Virginia more "pure". The early 20th century was a potent time in the history of racism in Virginia and in the United States. Using the maps drawn by various city councils, segregation laws, ordinances, and other sources, this website will explore the role that space played in defining race relations and the efforts of many whites in Virginia to control the spaces which they shared with blacks.

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