Russell City was a once-thriving community for Black and Latino residents, mainly from the 1940s, until its annexation by Hayward in the 1960s led to its destruction for industrial purposes. Many former residents, like James Knowles, remember the close-knit family connections they lost. A new reparation initiative, the Russell City Redress Fund, has been established, pledging $650,000 to support the dwindling number of eligible former residents. Despite its opportunities, Russell City faced systemic neglect, receiving inadequate essential services from Alameda County throughout its existence.
To have that taken from you with no goodbyes, no relocation, no therapy, speaks to the deep loss experienced by the former residents of Russell City.
Russell City was a magnet for the Black community in the 1940s, offering property ownership and wealth generation despite discriminatory practices in nearby cities.
The Russell City Redress Fund, recently pledged $650,000 by local Supervisors, aims to provide reparations to the remaining eligible former residents.
Essential services were persistently denied to Russell City by Alameda County, highlighting the systemic neglect of its predominantly Black and Latino population.
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