Desegregating Sacramento - A Fight For Fair Housing

This month’s Speaker’s Series program will present two short films which examine the landmark legal battles in the 20-year fight for fair housing in Sacramento from 1948-1968.  These films were produced by local filmmaker Chris Lango for the Center for Sacramento History’s award-winning series “UNLOCKING THE PAST” about the history of systemic racism in the Sacramento region.

The early civil rights cases showcased in the films place Sacramento on the front lines nationally in the long fight to end racial discrimination in both public and private housing across the United States. The cases themselves were argued by Nathaniel Colley, the first private-practicing African-American attorney in Sacramento. Mr. Colley opened his practice in 1949 so this year marks the 75 th anniversary of the firm. His voice prominently featured throughout both films – with context provided by historian Clarence Caesar and sociologist Dr. Jesus Hernandez of the Nathaniel Colley Civil Rights Coalition.

In addition to the screenings, Mr. Lango will speak about the process and challenges of researching and producing the films.