From Chicago to Santa Monica, the Bay Area to Huntsville, Alabama, countless Black folks across the country have lost their homes due to racist and illegal practices. Where Is My Land is sharing their stories.
“There’s many, many families that suffered this kind of injustice. You can’t do this to an individual, to a community, to a family, and just walk away from it like it didn’t mean anything.” - Connie, The Ebony Beach Club
This isn’t just a story about lost wealth. It’s also about what it means to lose your home, your sense of community and the trauma it brings for generations. Black families deserve healing. Where Is My Land is creating pathways to that healing.
Visit Where Is My Land to learn how you can get involved.
My mother was unlawfully kicked off her land when she was 70 years old. The attorneys who kicked my 70 year old mother off her land, they lied about the documents and made their 5th possible when my dad was in his. In his lower 50s at that particular point, he was very fortunate in finding a building at 1811 Ocean Ave. They took the the building away from him. They claimed eminent domain. All of our properties were confiscated by the city of Chicago. The city was harming black owners. The whole city. Our family was part of that city. Approximately 1200 people were told to get out for 20 plus years. My mother. Had no place to live and she was homeless base for the rest of her life because when she died she still did not have ownership of her land. Like, but I knew it was over. It's a harsh thing to say, but they were going to kill me. My dad became almost reclusive in a sense to watch this building be torn down right before his eyes. I mean, that killed him. It was just, it was horrible. There are a lot of members of the Russell City community. I can't even talk to him because I see the pain. You're opening old wounds. There's many, many families that suffered this kind of injustice. You can't just do this to an individual, to a community, to a family and just walk away from it like it didn't mean anything.
