Gaskin: Integration’s victories came at economic cost

When legalized segregation began to fall in the 1950s and 1960s, many African Americans — particularly the rising Black middle class — gained long-denied access to businesses, housing, and neighborhoods. These milestones were rightly celebrated as victories of the Civil Rights Movement. Yet they also brought unintended consequences.

The very policies and practices that had sustained Black business districts under segregation — captive markets, enforced proximity, and a philosophy of economic self-reliance —were suddenly undermined once Black consumers could freely choose mainstream establishments.

Before integration, segregation laws forced African Americans to shop, dine, and seek entertainment within Black neighborhoods. Out of necessity, vibrant economic corridors emerged. Black entre