ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM

Why Oil Rained Down on Poor Black Louisiana Town

Eruption in Roseland highlights a legacy of environmental racism

Photo from EPA shows oil 30 miles south of Roseland, Louisiana

Last month, the small, predominantly Black town of Roseland, Louisiana, where an estimated 90% of the children live in extreme poverty, endured an environmental disaster. In Capital B, Adam Mahoney documented the incident. On August 22nd, "a catastrophic explosion erupted at Smitty's Supply, a major lubricant manufacturing facility," causing oil and soot to rain down on the nearby area. It was a dystopian scene for residents to witness a black, oily substance falling from the sky instead of rainwater. Photos showed homes, cars, and clothing stained with black debris. Tangipahoa Parish residents posted images of the substance in marshlands and bodies of water throughout the area. Members of a local Facebook gardening group shared their disappointment and concern, showing photos of soot on their plants.

The tragedy in Roseland is part of a broader problem, as Black people are more likely to live in communities with polluted air, water, and soil. While some would dismiss this as simply a poor luck of the draw, these racial disparities are reflective of the long-term consequences of racially discriminatory policies, such as racial redlining and restrictive covenants. The…