How White is Your City?

A new set of maps shows that racial segregation in America's cities is alive and well.

By Hatty Lee, Jamilah King Sep 21, 2010

Ever wonder just how segregated your city is? Photographer Eric Fischer might have an answer. Inspired by cartographer Bill Rankin’s recent maps charting Chicago’s racial segregation, Fischer decided to make a few maps of his own. The maps, which include dozens of cities, show just how enduring racial stratification continues to be in this country.

Red = White  |  Blue = Black  |  Green = Asian  |  Orange = Latin

Washington, DC’s racial divide recently garnered national headlines after the the DC mayor’s race brought the city’s battle with gentrification into the spotlight:

And the racial divisions are clear in Chicago, where we’re headed this week for Facing Race:

As Gawker points out, Detroit is divided by the infamous Eight Mile Beltway, which serves as the clear boundary for the city’s black and white populations:

New Orleans:

New York City:

Los Angeles:

See more cities on Eric Fischer’s Flickr page.