Carter Glass, delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1901-02. (Image via Library of Congress)
Lyon’s Legacy is a limited-run opinion column on the history of housing in Arlington. The views expressed are solely the author’s.
“Discrimination! Why that is exactly what we propose… That exactly is what this convention was elected for to discriminate to the very extremity of permissible action under the limitation of the federal Constitution, with the view to the elimination of every Negro voter who can be gotten rid of.”
Carter Glass, Virginia Constitutional Convention, 1902
Arlington wasn’t always white. Before 1900, the population of the county was nearly 40% African-American. By 1950, it was less than 5%. Today, the number is still less than 10%.