Arrested Mobility: Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement

by Charles T Brown

In the US, police conduct millions of traffic stops for reasons unrelated to safety. Study after study confirm that Black drivers experience higher rates of non-safety stops, searches, and use of force than White drivers.  


In Arrested Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement, Charles T. Brown, founder and CEO of Equitable Cities, examines why mobility is not afforded in the same way to everyone. He argues that the legacy of structural racism and White supremacy has led to disinvestment and over-policing in Black communities and communities of color, thwarting opportunity, as physical mobility and social mobility are intrinsically linked.  This experience for Black people around the world is what Brown refers to as arrested mobility.  


Mobility embodies freedom and allows people, places, and cities to thrive. In the US, freedom—synonymous with national identity—is so often represented by acts of movement such as walking, cycling, driving a car or traveling to a different city. However, for Black Americans, exercising freedom of mobility continues to mean confronting the harsh reality of White fear, fragility, and violence.  


Understanding the causes of arrested mobility, will help us to develop solutions to increase mobility for Black people and other marginalized groups, Brown explains. The conditions society has created have their roots in what Brown calls “The Four Ps”: Polity, Policy, Planning, and Policing. He examines the four P’s, drawing from research, his own experience and the experience of other Black Americans. Brown then suggests solutions, some of which are already being implemented in the US.  


In Arrested Mobility, Brown shows how un-arresting mobility creates an opportunity not just for a better society for Black people, but for all people. Arrested mobility is detrimental to our society as a whole, not just the people it directly harms. By not providing equitable access to jobs, community resources, and public spaces, we are limiting the potential of a large percentage of our population to participate and contribute to society. Change is possible. We can un-arrest mobility together. Charles T. Brown shows us how. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Urban Planning

200 pages, Paperback

Published May 15, 2025

Reviews

[allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and thought-provoking dive into the many interconnected barriers (physical, institutional, and otherwise) that hinder Black life.

[eatingbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the deconstruction of Black communities through highway expansion to the surveillance and over-policing of Black neighborhoods, the mobility of Black people has been defined by urbanization that has exclusively served upper-middle class White communities. Black and Brown neighborhoods are underserved, underfunded and are often left car-dependent without adequate access to public transportation, bike shares, or proper bike infrastructure. How can one bike, scooter, or walk when there is no sidewalk to safely do so? Why would one bike, scooter, or walk when they feel targeted and threatened by police?

Restoration begins with acknowledgement of history and how that has created the world we live in. We must elevate and center the voices of those who have been deeply harmed by our racist history — then listen and implement.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed book about planning, racism, taking action and every pertinent topic in between.
One of my favorite podcasts. Start with the podcast or the book and trust that you will learn something and feel empowered to do something.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mobility justice = racial justice

Definitely aimed more towards practicing professionals and academics, but still valuable for whichever career path I find myself going down.

[Anaka M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appreciated how information in this book was presented concisely, effectively, and personally.