Peer Review

Not Even Past maps redlining maps from the 1930s with maps of health dispartities today, showing enduring contours of marked inequality in American cities over the past century. The twentieth century's formal and informal practices of racial residential segregation have systematically shaped characteristics of the built environment that may increase susceptibility to not only COVID-19 but other underlying health conditions that increase the susceptibility to and severity of illness from COVID-19. Racial residential segregation may impact health through poor housing conditions, disparities in educational and employment opportunities, inadequate transportation infrastructure, access to healthcare, and economic instability. Where people live impacts their exposure to health-promoting resources and opportunities (i.e., access to quality food, recreation, healthcare, etc.) as well as exposure to health-damaging threats (i.e., environmental pollutants, poor housing quality, etc.).

Reference Material, Images

Using the above learning objectives:

#1 - Visualization - Individual Assignment

Visit the Not Even Past map site.

1. Select one U.S. city from the archive.
2. Compare the 1930s HOLC redlining map with the contemporary CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) map.
3. Write a 2-page reflection analyzing:
   1. What patterns of continuity or change do you see?
   2. Which neighborhoods remained vulnerable or became gentrified?
   3. How do the historical redlining grades correlate with modern health outcomes such as asthma, life expectancy, or poverty?
   4. Conclude by reflecting on how geography, race, and health intersect.  

#2. Analyze Urban Inequality - Individual Assignment

Write a 5 page analytical essay that connects the history of redlining to current public health outcomes.Include the following:

1. Theoretical Framework: Choose one sociological theory to frame your analysis (e.g., functionalism. conflict theory, or interactionism).

2. Historical Context: Explain the role of HOLC maps and the logic behind redlining.

3. Contemporary Impacts: Use CDC SVI data or local health data to illustrate how these historical practices shape current inequalities.

4. Sociological Implications: Discuss what this continuity reveals about structural racism in American cities.

#3. Public Policy Design - Group Assignment/Presentation

Design a policy or community intervention that addresses the lingering effects of redlining in a chosen city. Your proposal should include:

1. Problem Statement: Summarize the historical and sociological roots of the problem.

2. Evidence Base: Use data from HOLC, SVI, and contemporary sources to support your argument.

3. Proposed Solution: Outline your intervention—e.g., housing reform, health equity programs, or community redevelopment.

4. Expected Outcomes: Explain how your proposal mitigates the long-term effects of structural racism.

5. Presentation: Deliver a 10-minute presentation and submit a 3-page summary.

Using the above learning objectives:

#1 - Visualization - Individual Assignment

Visit the Not Even Past map site.

1. Select one U.S. city from the archive.
2. Compare the 1930s HOLC redlining map with the contemporary CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) map.
3. Write a 2-page reflection analyzing:
   1. What patterns of continuity or change do you see?
   2. Which neighborhoods remained vulnerable or became gentrified?
   3. How do the historical redlining grades correlate with modern health outcomes such as asthma, life expectancy, or poverty?
   4. Conclude by reflecting on how geography, race, and health intersect.  

#2. Analyze Urban Inequality - Individual Assignment

Write a 5 page analytical essay that connects the history of redlining to current public health outcomes.Include the following:

1. Theoretical Framework: Choose one sociological theory to frame your analysis (e.g., functionalism. conflict theory, or interactionism).

2. Historical Context: Explain the role of HOLC maps and the logic behind redlining.

3. Contemporary Impacts: Use CDC SVI data or local health data to illustrate how these historical practices shape current inequalities.

4. Sociological Implications: Discuss what this continuity reveals about structural racism in American cities.

#3. Public Policy Design - Group Assignment/Presentation

Design a policy or community intervention that addresses the lingering effects of redlining in a chosen city. Your proposal should include:

1. Problem Statement: Summarize the historical and sociological roots of the problem.

2. Evidence Base: Use data from HOLC, SVI, and contemporary sources to support your argument.

3. Proposed Solution: Outline your intervention—e.g., housing reform, health equity programs, or community redevelopment.

4. Expected Outcomes: Explain how your proposal mitigates the long-term effects of structural racism.

5. Presentation: Deliver a 10-minute presentation and submit a 3-page summary.

A computer capable of viewing interactive screen images with a solid internet connection.  No specific plug-in is required.

There are no major learning objectives for this reference material.  However, from a sociological perspective, this material could be used to:

1. Interpret historical redlining maps and contemporary health data.  Assess how systemic inequities affect access to health-promoting resources.  
2. Apply sociological theories (structural functionalism, conflict theory, and interactionism) to analyze urban inequality.  
3. Develop a sociologically informed policy proposal to design equitable urban interventions that address inequities rooted in historical segregation.

Not Even Past aims to help faculty and students visualize historical redlining evidenced in the original Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps from the 1930s, which graded neighborhoods based on perceived “mortgage security.” These grades were heavily influenced by race and ethnicity, making the maps a clear record of structural racism. This resource compares the past maps with contemporary maps of the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), which measures a community’s ability to prepare for and recover from disasters based on factors like poverty, housing, transportation, and minority status.

Through side-by-side maps and connecting diagrams, the project illustrates how past discriminatory practices like redlining have long-lasting effects on health, economic stability, and neighborhood vulnerability today—while also showing areas that have changed (e.g., gentrification).

High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professionals

Basic knowledge of structural racism in the United States will help the reader better interpret the maps.

Users will need to have a basic understanding of how to read maps and interpret index scores. There is an explanation on how to read the maps.