editorial

Focus on diversity changes

The recent Martin Luther King Day celebration was a feel-good, inspirational event honoring both the great civil rights leader’s accomplishments and local children who embody his themes of peace and racial equality. It’s an annual opportunity to appreciate the richness and vitality that comes from living in a small, racially diverse town.

And yet, for many, the event is also bittersweet, a reminder that the sort of racial diversity evident on King Day — once a unique aspect of Yellow Springs life — is no longer the norm in our town. According to the 2000 Census figures, the percentage of African-Americans in Yellow Springs had dropped almost by half, from almost 30 percent in 1970 to about 15 percent. Most anticipate that this year’s Census will show a greater decline. It’s clear the village has become older, richer and whiter.

What does this mean for the village? How will our community life change as we become more homogenous? How has it already changed? Perhaps most importantly, why has this change taken place and what can we do to reverse it?

This week, the News kicks off a series of articles in which we attempt to address these questions. We hope these articles contribute to an ongoing community conversation on the significance of racial diversity in Yellow Springs. We invite you to add your thoughts to this critical conversation.

—Diane Chiddister