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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND SCIENCE POLICY SERIES General Editor: Kristin Shrader-Frechetto Acceptable Evidence Science and Values in Bisk Management Edited by Deborah Mayo and Rachelle D. Hollander Experts in Uncertainty Opinion and Subjective Probability in Science Roger M. Cooke Regulating Toxic Substances A Philosophy of Science and the Law Carl F. Cran or In Nature's Interests? Interests, Animal Rights, and Environmental Ethics Gary E. Varner Privatizing Public Lands Scott Lehman Democracy, Risk, and the Community Technological Hazards and the Evolution of Liberalism Richard P. Hiskes Environmental Justice Creating Equality, Reclaiming Democracy Kristin Shrader-Frechette
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Creating Equality, Reclaiming Democracy
Kristin Shrader-Frechette
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
2002
OXTORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Oxford New York A u c k l a n d Bangkok Buenos Aires ( " a p t ; Town ( i h e n n a i Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong I s t a n b u l K a r a c h i K o l k a l a K u a l a L u m p u r Madrid Melbourne Mexico ( l i l y M u m b a i N a i r o b i Sao Paulo S h a n g h a i Singapore Taipei Tokvo Toronto and an associated c o m p a n y in B e r l i n
Copyright © 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. Published by Oxford U n i v e r s i t y Press. I n c . 198 Madi.son Avenue. New York. New York J O O H i w\v\v.oup.com Oxford is a registered t r a d e m a r k oi'Oxford 1 J n i v e r s i t y Press All r i g h t s reserved. No ]>art ol t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n may be r e p r o d u c e d , stored in a retrieval system, or t r a n s m i t t e d , in an\ form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, p h o t o c o p y i n g , recording, or o t h e r w i s e , w i t h o u t the prior permission of Oxford U n i v e r s i t y Press. Library of Congress C a t a l o g i n g - i n - P u i i l i c . i l i o n D a t a Shrader-Frechette, K. S. ( K r i s t i n Sharon] E n v i r o n m e n t a l j u s t i c e : c r e a t i n g e q u a l it \. r e c l a i m i n g democrat y ' K r i s t i n Shrader-Krechetli'. p. cm. I n c l u d e s index. ISBN 0-19-51520^-4 1. E n v i r o n m e n t a l J u s t i c e — U n i t e d States. I. T i t l e . GE230.S57 2002
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For my mother and for Catherine
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Preface
Neary 80 years ago, Catherine Jackman graduated from Centre College, in Danville, Kentucky. Hoping for a career in teaching, she was one of the first African-American women to receive her degree from Centre. Despite her superb grades and the state's chronic shortage of teachers, no Kentucky school would hire her. After months of searching for employment, Catherine took the only job she was offered, that of seamstress at Danville's Rainbow Cleaners. My grandfather, owner of the Rainbow, often left her in charge. Inside the cleaners, Grandpa said customers always would speak politely to Catherine. He was outraged that, outside the shop, she became invisible to all the whites who passed her on the street. In the middle 1920s Grandpa's young wife was stricken with severe encephalitis and was sent as an invalid to Kentucky State Hospital. Left with a three-year-old daughter, Mildred, he lapsed into despair and then alcoholism. Catherine managed the shop every day, but his alcoholism only worsened. Soon Catherine brought little Mildred home with her each evening to Colored Town, on the outskirts of Danville. She lived in Colored Town until she married my father when she was 18. From Catherine, Mildred learned her deep laugh, her quick wit, her remarkable cooking and sewing skills, and her habit of hugging people as soon as she saw them. One of my favorite Kentucky