History of Racism and Housing Discrimination in East Lansing
Dr. Robert L. Green
Dr. Robert L. Green played a major role in East Lansing’s push for civil rights and equal opportunities in housing and education. Back in 1964, while he was a professor at Michigan State University, he tried to buy a home in the Glencairn neighborhood—but was turned away just because he was Black. Instead of accepting that, he fought back legally and became one of the city’s first Black homeowners, eventually settling on Bessemaur Drive. His kids were also among the first Black students to attend East Lansing Public Schools, helping to open doors and break down racial barriers in classrooms and beyond.
Dr. Green didn’t just make waves in East Lansing—he was also a close advisor and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As the education director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he worked alongside Dr. King to tackle educational inequality as part of the larger civil rights movement. He firmly believed that access to quality education was key to achieving racial justice. The work he did on a national level, especially around school desegregation, influenced conversations across the country—and he brought those same beliefs and strategies back home, continuing the fight for integration and equity in East Lansing.
Dr. Green’s impact went far beyond East Lansing—he was a national leader in the fight for justice. Over the course of his life, he held major roles in education and public policy, including serving as the dean of MSU’s College of Urban Development. In 2021, East Lansing honored his legacy by renaming Pinecrest Elementary after him, now known as Dr. Robert L. Green Elementary. There’s also a historical marker near his old home, celebrating the difference he made in the community. His story is a powerful example of how speaking out against injustice can create real, lasting change. Current Legacy
Redlining
Redlining is a discriminatory housing separation practice that influenced East Lansing development and its neighboring communities. Originating in the 1930s, redlining involved the Federal Housing Administration's Homeowners Loan Corporation (HOLC) that created color coded maps to assess the credit risk of neighborhoods. Areas were graded from “A” being the best to “D” meaning hazardous, with predominantly Black neighborhoods often marked in red, irrespective of the residence's economic status. These zoning decisions lead to the systematic denial of mortgages and financial services to residents in these areas that were labeled as “hazardous” meaning all of the neighborhoods with people of color. This effectively segregates communities and limits the opportunities for wealth accumulation among non-white residents. The HOLC map for the Lansing area is pictured below.
In East Lansing, these practices were prevalent making it challenging for African-American families to purchase homes, despite policy changes like the 1948 Supreme Court decision against racially restrictive covenants. The consequences and repercussions of redlining are still noticeable today; studies indicate that neighborhoods subjected to redlining experience disparities between income, education, and health. For instance, Black children born in redlined areas have been found to earn 7% less in adulthood compared to their peers in non redlined areas, while white individuals in the same area saw income increase of about 3% and 35% rise in housing values. Furthermore, the construction of infrastructure like Interstate 496 in the 1960s led to the displacement of thousands of black residents in Lansing only furthering environmental and economic injustices.
East Lansing Neighborhoods
In East Lansing, as in many places across the country, racism was built directly into the housing market. During the 20th century, many neighborhoods used racially restrictive covenants-legal language written into property deeds that banned people of color, especially Black families, from buying or even living in certain homes. For example, homes in the Brookfield neighborhood once had covenants that said only white people could live there. Even though the US Supreme Court ruled in 1948 that these covenants couldn't be enforced anymore, the language still lingers in some property records, quietly reminding us of a history of segregation and exclusion.
These covenants didn't just limit where people could live - they shaped the long term - makeup of East Lansing's neighborhoods. by locking families of color out of home ownership and wealth building opportunities, they widened racial gaps in income, education, and community Access that are still felt today. For decades, these rules helped keep East Lansing a predominantly white city, and their effects ripple through the housing patterns even now. These effects can be observed in which homes sell for the highest values, which schools are the best funded, and who has had access to stable, long term housing. Even as East Lansing becomes more diverse, the city continues to deal with the effects of policies that were designed to exclude. Recognizing how these covenants shaped our community is an important step toward creating a fair, more equitable future.
Today, East Lansing homeowners have a way to take a stand against this legacy. Thanks to a state law passing 2022, people can now officially disavow the racist language in their home deeds. it doesn't remove the original wording, but it adds a formal statement to the property record saying the homeowner rejects it. The small but meaningful step helps acknowledge the harm caused by these covenants and shows a commitment to build a more inclusive and welcoming Community for everyone.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 's influence runs deep in both East Lansing and Michigan State University. When he visited MSU on February 11, 1965, over 4,000 students and community members came out to hear him speak. That visit helped kick off the Student Educational Project (STEP), the first student-run educational outreach program in the country, which sent MSU volunteers to Mississippi to support the civil rights movement. It was a turning point that sparked a long-standing tradition of social justice and activism on campus.
MSU continues to honor Dr. King’s legacy every year with its MLK Commemorative Celebration—a week filled with events like the MLK March, student symposiums, wellness fairs, and cultural performances. These activities bring people together to reflect on Dr. King’s message and how it still applies today in the fight for equity and inclusion.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at MSU
Teaching Future Generations
In 2022, East Lansing High School launched a new elective course focused on Black American history. This class gives students the chance to explore the realities of systemic racism, learn about the civil rights movement, and better understand the contributions of Black Americans throughout history. It’s more than just a history lesson—it’s an opportunity to build empathy, awareness, and a stronger, more informed community. ELHS Initiative
One powerful resource on Black history at MSU is the book by Dr. Pero Dagbovie (MSU History Professor) Forever in the Path: The Black Experience at Michigan State University. This book shares the real stories of Black students, staff, and faculty at MSU, highlighting their struggles and achievements over the years. By bringing these local experiences into the conversation, students learn how racism and resilience have shaped the very community they live in. Through these kinds of classes and materials, East Lansing is helping young people connect the past to the present—and preparing them to lead with understanding and purpose in the future.
