RED
GREEN
LINE
present day:
(This map has multiple layers. Click on the arrow on the top-left of the map to toggle them!)
After discussing the history of red-lining in Durham and exploring its modern-day impact on the availability of green spaces in the city's neighborhoods, this next section will explore the correlation between those green spaces and local temperatures.
The interactive map below displays three layers of information. Please click on the arrow located on the top-left corner of the map to toggle between the following layers to make observations:
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Historical Information: the color-coded choropleth map in the first layer presents a recreation of zoning classification from 1937. By clicking on a zone, you will be presented with a pop-up window displaying information that city planners had collected regarding the neighborhood or zone's population composition, average income, buildings, as well as the grade it was assigned.
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Present-Day Figures: the green circles on the map represent the average household income of the neighborhood. The larger the circle, the higher the neighborhood's average annual income.
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Temperature: the third layer, which has been turned off by default but can be toggled on, displays temperature data collected by North Carolina State University in July 2021. The darker the shade of grey, the hotter the temperature that was recorded in that area.
Source: ArcGIS Online
Source: Mapping Inequality (1)
Source: ArcGIS Online
When comparing the overlaid information, we can observe that historically red-lined zones continue to have a lower household income than historically green-lined neighborhoods. Similarly, when looking at the temperature data, the pockets of low-temperature areas in the city are found in neighborhoods with higher household incomes.
Combining these two observations, as well as all of the information we have presented through this website — including historical explanations, present-day observations, and map-based data visualization — I make the argument that Durham's climate fragility is an issue rooted in racist policy and social inequality.