WHITE FLIGHT

The term ‘white flight’ was coined to describe the exodus of white people from neighborhoods experiencing racial integration. As urban areas became increasingly racially mixed, white city-dwellers moved out to the suburbs. This trend was facilitated by an increase in wages and the issuing of federally guaranteed mortgages exclusively to white people. The homogeneity of the white suburbs was preserved by discriminatory practices such as 'redlining' and the refusal to grant home loans to non-whites.  The only option for minorities was to move into the city-centre residences left vacant by the departing white people.

To the right is the white demographic shift from Detroit to the surrounding suburbs over 50 years, each dot representing 10 white residents.