Urban Renewal In America

Urban renewal transformed urban landscapes across America during the mid-twentieth century. New York City did not depart from this trend, and the impacts are prevalent today. The practice of slum clearance displaced entire communities, and perpetuated the very idea it sought to resolve. From this, the anti-urban movement sprang forward. This grassroots effort made progress through white middle-class residents as it concentrated on a community’s culture rather than redevelopment. This approach frequently neglected the individuals urban renewal sought to originally benefit, consequently silencing the sentiments of numerous communities within the five boroughs. The repercussions of urban renewal compelled African Americans to continue living in areas identified as blighted, and perpetuated the myth that government designated slums were just that. Furthermore, few blacks appear within the historical record as champions of the anti-urban renewal movement, which paves the way for new scholarship.
As cities were altered, and with urban renewal transforming into a twenty first century movement, countless works have been written to underscore the damage done by the movements “first wave”. Yet, little has been recorded in reference …show more content…
This practice minimizes the role of blacks within the community, turning anti-urban renewal into a white issue without considering the effects it had on minority groups. Additionally, the application of these individuals in telling the neighborhood story of Brooklyn Heights perpetuated the problem by introducing a gentrified form of urban