January 2008
By 2008 the U.S. incarcerated 2.3 million people — the world's largest prison population. Black men were incarcerated at a rate of 3,161 per 100,000, compared to 487 per 100,000 for white men. One in nine Black men aged 20–34 was behind bars. The Pew Center reported that 1 in 100 American adults was incarcerated; for Black men in their thirties, the ratio was 1 in 36.
Baltimore became the first U.S. city to sue a major bank — Wells Fargo — under the Fair Housing Act, alleging the bank's reverse redlining concentrated foreclosures in Black neighborhoods. The suit cited a former Wells Fargo loan officer's affidavit describing instructions to target Black churches and community organizations for subprime products. The case was dismissed on standing grounds but established a template for subsequent municipal fair-lending litigation.
Events
- 2008U.S. Prison Population Peaks; Black Men Incarcerated at Six Times the White Rate
By 2008 the U.S. incarcerated 2.3 million people — the world's largest prison population. Black men were incarcerated at a rate of 3,161 per 100,000, compared to 487 per 100,000 for white men. One in nine Black men aged 20–34 was behind bars. The Pew Center reported that 1 in 100 American adults was incarcerated; for Black men in their thirties, the ratio was 1 in 36.
- January 8, 2008Baltimore Sues Wells Fargo Over Discriminatory Lending Triggering Foreclosure Crisis
Baltimore became the first U.S. city to sue a major bank — Wells Fargo — under the Fair Housing Act, alleging the bank's reverse redlining concentrated foreclosures in Black neighborhoods. The suit cited a former Wells Fargo loan officer's affidavit describing instructions to target Black churches and community organizations for subprime products. The case was dismissed on standing grounds but established a template for subsequent municipal fair-lending litigation.
- January 8, 2008Baltimore Sues Wells Fargo Under Fair Housing Act for Reverse Redlining
Baltimore became the first U.S. city to sue a major bank under the Fair Housing Act, alleging Wells Fargo concentrated foreclosures in Black neighborhoods through reverse redlining. A former loan officer's affidavit described targeting Black churches for subprime products. The case established a template for municipal fair-lending litigation.