African American Segregation in San Francisco

1960s: Days of Rage

June 20

Anti-Discrimination protest in the Sunset at 2222 19th Avenue, offices of Standard Building Co., in 1961. Terry Francois is the man in the middle in the dark suit.

"Like many Northern cities in the United States, San Francisco's history of racial tension and race relations is prominent. With a dissimilarity index as high as 84.5 in 1970, segregation and discrimination of African Americans in the city has ever been present. Just south of the downtown or central part of the city, separated by the 280 and 101, lies Bayview/Hunters Point. According to the 2010 US Census, the population in Bayview/Hunters Point was 33.7 percent African American, quite the contrast to only around 6 percent in San Francisco City and County; less than half the portion of African Americans inhabiting the city in the 1970s. This highly segregated neighborhood – and lack of the African American population in the city – was a product of institutions and the discrimination that existed throughout the 20th century. The largest factors, many would argue, were housing issues – housing discrimination, displacement from redevelopment, public housing, and lack of efficient legislation – which continued to affect minority populations well after the Fair Housing Act of 1968. During the First and Second World War, push and pull factors were largely responsible for the great black migrations to Northern cities; particularly, the mechanization of agriculture in the South and the demand for workers in industrial positions in the North. In San Francisco, the opening of the Naval Shipyard created many job opportunities and positions that needed to be filled by unskilled workers. Thus, African Americans were hotly recruited from the South to work in the Naval Shipyard, located in Bayview/Hunters Point. ... New service jobs became prevalent in the suburbs, which were very difficult for African Americans to access. The lack of jobs has led to a multitude of issues for blacks in the area, which has contributed to the current, highly segregated state of Bayview/Hunters Point. During this period of animosity, blacks faced other challenges in northern cities that led to residential segregation in Bayview/Hunters Point. Racially restrictive covenants were enforced. ... In addition to the housing discrimination faced in Bayview/Hunters Point, urban renewal of San Francisco's blighted areas disrupted African American's ability to relocate. This era aimed to eradicate 'blight,' meaning areas with characteristics of homelessness, graffiti, high crime, and high colored populations, among others. Redevelopment occurred most prevalently in San Francisco's Western Addition, displacing many black families through the process of eminent domain. Additionally, many of these displaced families were renters and were not compensated for their displacement. ..."
FoundSF