Question 1 | HSBC-Mia-Bay-Shaping-Historical-Memory

Question 1 | HSBC-Mia-Bay-Shaping-Historical-Memory

Question 1

In what ways has the “invisibility” of travel segregation shaped historical memory, and why has it been harder to remember or address compared to other forms of segregation, such as in education?

Answer

The separation of Black travelers on trains and buses was often out of sight of White passengers, and contributed to the “invisibility” of transportation segregation, making it less likely to be remembered or confronted. 

Transportation segregation was not as impactful as segregation in schools, so people did not focus on its long-term effects.

The “invisibility” of travel segregation only applied to public transit, which did not affect how people remembered it.

Transportation segregation was consistently visible to White passengers, so its history is well documented and widely remembered.