Race on the Move

Race on the Move, Volume 1, examines the systemic inequalities Black Americans face within public transit systems. Gwendolyn Purifoye analyzes how buses, subways, and commuter rails often provide unequal service in terms of speed, quality, and accessibility. This work of sociology and urban anthropology demonstrates how limited transportation options restrict access to essential healthcare, employment, and quality housing, leading to lasting disruptions within Black communities.

Drawing on nine years of ethnographic research and media analysis in Chicago, this study of mass transit explores how racial residential segregation shapes daily interactions. Purifoye details the overt and covert hostilities experienced by minority passengers and transit personnel. By blending politics and social sciences with transportation engineering perspectives, Race on the Move provides policy makers and community organizers with sustainable design options to create a more equitable urban environment.