By Jerome Foster II
A century ago, if you looked at the American landscape, you’d see a complex, divided nation where opportunity, and even the land itself, was often segregated by race. This year marks 100 years since the first national Black history observance. Over the past century, this period has served as both a reflection on where we have been and a compass for where we must go.
As we celebrate the resilience of Black history, we must also confront the history of our built environment. The two are deeply intertwined. The story of Black America is not just written in books; it is written in the tree canopy of our cities.
Beginning in the 1930s, federal housing policies like redlining did more than segregate people; they segregated nature. Neighborhoods inhabited by Black families were often graded as “hazardous” and denied mortgage capital. This lack of investment didn’t just affect home values; it affected infrastructure. Parks were not built. Trees were not planted. Industrial zones were placed next door.
Today, we have the data to show the result of those decisions. The maps of 1930s redlining align nearly perfectly with the maps of today’s “heat islands”, neighborhoods that can be up to 20 degrees hotter than wealthier areas just a few miles away. This is not a coincidence; it is a policy failure with generational consequences.
But if policy created this problem, policy can fix it.
For Forests Plus, and for my generation, the solution is Tree Equity. This is not just about beautification; it is about public health and climate resilience. It is about recognizing that a tree is a piece of essential infrastructure, just like a road or a power grid with the power to make our communities more whole. Trees cool our streets, lower energy bills, filter air pollution, and improve mental health. Access to these benefits should not be determined by the zip code you were born in.
When we talk about environmental justice, we are talking about correcting the systemic oversights of the past with the “natural capital” of the future. We are moving from a history of exclusion to a future of investment.
As we look back on a century of Black history, we honor the legacy of those who fought for civil rights by continuing their work in the environmental sphere. Congressman John Lewis, for whom I had the honor of interning, understood that the fight for justice takes many forms. Today, that fight includes the right to clean air and a safe climate.