A historical map from the 1960s provided by the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority depicts the expansion plans of Old Dominion University (then known as Old Dominion College) into the Lamberts Point neighborhood in Norfolk, Virginia. Img source: www.vpm.org
May 17, 2024 Story by: Editor
Following an investigation led by VCIJ at WHRO and ProPublica, Virginia’s recently approved budget allocates nearly $60,000 over the next two years to establish a commission dedicated to studying the effects of public college and university expansions on Black communities.
The commission, outlined in the state budget, will delve into the historical acquisition of lands and assess potential remedies for affected Black families and their descendants. It will collaborate with public higher education institutions to scrutinize property transactions in predominantly Black neighborhoods and assess the need for compensation or other forms of relief.
This initiative comes in the wake of an investigative series by VCIJ at WHRO and ProPublica, which documented the gradual displacement of a largely Black neighborhood in Newport News due to the expansion of Christopher Newport University. The investigation shed light on similar disruptions caused by other Virginia universities like Old Dominion and the University of Virginia, which often employed eminent domain to acquire land.
The newly established panel, formally titled the Commission to Study the History of the Uprooting of Black Communities by Public Institutions of Higher Education in the Commonwealth, will comprise 19 members selected by legislators and state education officials. The state has earmarked $57,520 over two years to fund the commission, commencing July 1 and spanning until June 2026.
Del. Delores McQuinn (D-Richmond) spearheaded the bill to create the commission, emphasizing the need to address the losses experienced by affected families. Her proposal was integrated into the state budget during a special session in May.
The commission’s mandate includes researching property acquisitions in communities with Black majorities, examining similar cases in other states, and seeking guidance from external experts. Professor Cassandra Newby-Alexander from Norfolk State University highlighted the financial and emotional toll of urban renewal driven by universities, stressing the need for tangible action to rectify historical injustices. Source: VPM
The investigative series spotlighted the Johnson family in Newport News and the Shoe Lane community, where generations of Black landowners were displaced to make way for university expansions. In response, Newport News and Christopher Newport University have initiated a task force to review property records spanning four decades and explore avenues for restorative justice for affected Black families.
