In 1929, several Black families were removed from their land by white developers in Evanston, IL. This only follows a disturbing history of displacement of Black families.
Steven Rogers, a resident of Evanston, recently saw that the same land once owned by Black families was up for sale. So Rogers decided to purchase the land and place it back into the hands of Blacks.
According to The Daily Northwestern, Rogers will create a memorial honoring the Black families who lost their land in 1929. Rogers plans to use the land for the benefit of the Black community, by hosting HBCU choirs and other activities.
“I know the history of Blacks in America. But when something comes close to you like that, it becomes personalized,” Rogers said to The Daily Northwestern. “It made it real.”
He added, “I was able to use all of my Harvard Business School experience, all of my corporate experience, all of my entrepreneurship experience, everything that I had been endowed with to help these people fight a Fortune 500 company. And we won.”
Rogers created the Englewood Railway Coalition to oppose the Norfolk Southern Corporation, which sought to buy homes in Englewood, which would have displaced Black homeowners. The Daily Northwestern also reported that Rogers helped the city receive financial compensation.
Patti Beals, who is a member of the Englewood Railway Coalition, told the The Daily Northwestern that Rogers is a “voice of reason.”
“Because of the positive change that he helped provide, I know that in the future I have a place now for my children to come and stay,” Beals said.
Rogers is also a published author. His book, Successful Black Entrepreneurs, sheds light on Black achievement through case studies, and examines the challenges of Black entrepreneurship.
“It’s been over 246 years of slavery, 60 years of Black Codes, 40 years of redlining,” Rogers said. “That’s 346 years, and 346 years later we’re still fighting for equality in terms of being recognized as citizens of the United States,” he said. “I’m saddened about the absence of greater optimism.”