*Yvonne Doughtie, the wife of Roanoke Rapids Mayor Emery Doughtie, is facing backlash after making sweeping claims about Black residents in a Facebook post that blamed them for problems involving housing and schools in the North Carolina city.
According to The North Carolina Beat, Doughtie, who is white, made the remarks while responding to a Facebook discussion about economic differences between the east and west sides of Roanoke Rapids. She singled out Black residents and connected their presence in the city to what she described as worsening conditions.
“Another problem I have observed is the Black Citizens have moved into the City of Roanoke Rapids and RRHS and there has been a lot of problems with their housing area and in the schools,” Doughtie wrote.
She went on to claim that many Black residents do not properly maintain their homes, particularly those who rent.
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“I am not saying all Black Citizens but a lot of them just don’t take care of their houses especially if they are renting,” she wrote, also complaining about what she called “Slum Lord Rental People.”
Doughtie contrasted the current community with her recollection of Chaloner Park, describing its former residents as middle-class families who “worked for what they had” and received “no handouts of government give aways.”
She also wrote that Roanoke Rapids has lost its “BackBone” and complained that people today “just do not care and are not willing to work.”
The comments prompted the City of Roanoke Rapids to publicly distance itself from the remarks. In a statement issued Aug. 12, City Manager Kelly Traynham said the comments appeared to originate from an account belonging to the spouse of an elected official and emphasized that the individual “does not speak on behalf of the City.”
“The City of Roanoke Rapids rejects attributing community challenges related to racial, political, or other socioeconomical stereotypes and remains committed to serving every resident fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.”
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