The Annapolis Human Relations Commission will hold a free, public program recognizing the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 on Wednesday, April 25, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center, 1101 Smithville Street in Annapolis.
The program will consist of a panel presentation that will have the theme of “Fair Housing: Past, Present and Future” featuring panelists:
The Past: Janice Hayes Williams, constituent services officer, City of Annapolis and an historian of African Americans in Maryland. “What was the experience for racial/ethnic minorities in Maryland, and especially for African Americans, who sought to rent or purchase residential real estate prior to the passage of the Fair Housing Act? What forms of discrimination did they encounter?”
The Present: Tom Quattlebaum, chief executive officer, Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors. “What strides have been made since the passage of the Fair Housing Act to ensure that all citizens have equal access (at least legally) to housing? What have been the greatest areas of progress?”
The Future: Robert J. Strupp, Esq., executive director, Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. “What more needs to be done in the area of fair housing? What are the challenges that advocates of fair housing face in the current political climate and from the policies set at the federal level?”
Light refreshments will be served after the program. For more information, call 410-263-7998.
