This Day in Black History – February 9

 

This Day in Black History – February 9

By Malcolm Davis, HomeVets Realty

February is Black History Month, a time to honor the sacrifices, resistance, and brilliance of Black Americans—and to look honestly at how history still shapes our communities and housing markets today. On this day, February 9, we remember milestones that remind us why fair access to homeownership and wealth‑building is still a mission, not just a slogan.

On February 9, 1995, Dr. Bernard Harris Jr. became the first African American to walk in space, proving once again that when opportunity and preparation meet, barriers fall. That same spirit of breaking ceilings is exactly what Black families have had to bring to housing for generations—fighting redlining, low‑ball appraisals, and policies that tried to keep us as renters instead of owners.

How housing discrimination shaped today’s market

For decades, Black buyers were locked out of prime neighborhoods through redlining, racial covenants, and predatory lending. These practices didn’t just make it harder to buy; they also blocked Black families from building the kind of generational wealth that comes from owning property and passing it down. Even after the Fair Housing Act of 1968, enforcement was weak, and many discriminatory patterns simply evolved instead of disappearing.

Today, the homeownership gap between Black and white households remains wide in many states and cities, including right here in Texas. Black households are still more likely to face higher borrowing costs, appraisal bias, and fewer opportunities to buy in high‑appreciation areas. That means our work as real estate professionals isn’t just about contracts and closings—it’s about equity, education, and advocacy.

What this means for buyers, sellers, and the community

For Black buyers and sellers, understanding this history is empowering. It explains why you may be the first homeowner in your family, or why the process sometimes feels stacked against you even when you’re doing everything “right.” It also highlights why having professionals in your corner who understand both the market and the historical context can make a real difference in your results.

As a REALTOR® with HomeVets Realty, I focus on helping veterans, service members, and families—especially Black and Brown households—navigate that landscape with clarity and strategy. That includes educating clients about loan options, connecting them with trusted lenders, and pushing for fair treatment at every stage: from pre‑approval to appraisal to closing. Homeownership is still one of the most powerful wealth‑building tools available, and my goal is to help more of us access it and keep it.

Honoring the past by changing the future

On this day in Black history, we celebrate achievements like Dr. Bernard Harris Jr.’s historic spacewalk—and we also recommit to the work still in front of us here on the ground. Every time a Black family closes on a home in a community of their choosing, every time a fair appraisal is defended, and every time we share knowledge about credit, budgeting, and generational planning, we’re writing a new chapter in that history.

If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or investing in real estate in Central Texas, I’d be honored to walk that path with you and your family. Together, we can turn the dream of ownership into a legacy.

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Share your thoughts

What does Black History Month—and this day in Black history—mean to you when it comes to home, neighborhood, and legacy?

Leave a comment below:

• What challenges have you or your family faced in homeownership?

• What resources or information would help you most on your real estate journey?

• How can professionals like me better serve our Black and Brown communities?