"Redlining" Maps and Contemporary Firearm Violence Research: Is It Time to Ask New Questions?

In their article, Dholakia and colleagues report on the association of 1930s-era "redlining" maps created by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) with contemporary nonsuicide firearm violence. The editorialists discuss the findings and call for use of HOLC maps not merely as a basis for research, treating history as an independent variable, but rather as an evidence-based backdrop that fundamentally alters our perception and understanding of the contemporary experience of individuals most impacted by firearm violence exposure.