Anti-Blackness in Early Santa Rosa

Clipping of text from the grant deed. — Grant deed from Sonoma County Abstract Bureau to J.R. Rossi and Virginia P. Black, April 8, 1928. View in our Digital Collection.

Local history, truly told, is not populated exclusively with heroes. Early Santa Rosa was a racist town. I don't know a softer way to phrase it. The real sting of racial prejudice was felt first by the Chinese — because there were more of them than any other minority group. Intolerance of black Americans was more subtle. And insidious.

— LeBaron, Gaye. “A Town’s History Is Not Always What We'd Like It to Be.” Santa Rosa Press Democrat, January 17, 1988

< Back

Next >