Uncovering Truth

During this session, Dr. Kirsten Delegard, director of the Mapping Prejudice Project at the University of Minnesota, explored the history of redlining and racial covenants in Minnesota neighborhoods. She explained how racial covenants—clauses inserted into property deeds to prevent non-White people from buying or occupying homes—created lasting patterns of segregation and contributed to some of the largest racial disparities in housing that still exist today. Through the work of Mapping Prejudice, these hidden histories have been uncovered and mapped, helping communities better understand how structural racism shaped neighborhoods and opportunities across generations. The session invited reflection on what happens when people are intentionally excluded from community, and how acknowledging this history can be an important step toward healing, justice, and building a more equitable future.