Fort Greene, Brooklyn in New York City, along with Clinton Hill, is just east of downtown Brooklyn, standing between it and Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy).
In the 1980s and 1990s it gave us the likes of Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Toure, Lorna Simpson, Branford Marsalis, Terence Howard, Rosie Perez, Biggie, Lisa Jones, Nelson George and others. It was the centre of black bohemian life in the city: artists, writers, actors, singers – those who were young, gifted and black (or Latino) – came there to live. In 1991 Essence magazine called it “The Happening ‘Hood”.
It had a critical mass of black talent – whites were too afraid to go there – which led to a black cultural renaissance. It had an “energy” in a city already famous for energy. Spike Lee says that in time it will be compared to the Harlem Renaissance.
The Fort Greene renaissance is now dead, killed off by white gentrification. While the streets are now in good repair, the police protection much better and the crack epidemic largely gone, the prices are also much higher and the old sense of community seems to be disappearing.
From 2000 to 2010 the number of whites doubled, almost completely at the expense of blacks. Blacks, who in 2000 made up 65% of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, now make up less than half. While it has a good mix of races compared to most of the city, that mix seems to be a passing side effect of gentrification.
Biggie called it Bed-Stuy, which is just how white people used to think of it, meaning that it was poor, violent and black. But now the street in Clinton Hill where Biggie once sold crack sells chai lattes. The laundromat near his house has become a plastic surgeon’s office. “Fort Greene” and “Clinton Hill” are to a degree marketing terms pushed by gentrifiers to make it seem like a safe place to live.
In the late 1800s it was simply called The Hill. Well-to-do white people from Manhattan lived there. That was when its Greek Revival and Italianate brownstones were built. And when Fort Greene Park was designed by the same people who brought us Central Park.
But even back then, at least since the 1880s, it had a black middle-class, which has been there ever since, through good times and bad.
The bad times came after the Second World War. Its housing projects were so bad that by 1959 Newsweek magazine held them up to the nation as failed examples of public housing. Then came heroin and, in the 1980s, crack. In 1992 Fort Greene had the highest infant mortality rate in the city.
But the 1980s also brought black professionals: Fort Greene was cheap and extremely well-connected, more so than any other black part of the city. In 1985 Spike Lee, instead of going to Manhattan or Hollywood, opened his film company there. Soon other young black talent came.
See also:
Harlem, in Manhattan, seems to be experiencing this same gentrification, also!
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There goes the neighborhood.
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Abagond:
The whitewashing of black neighborhoods is a problem in all major american cities, all of us as black people are affected in some capacity. In New York, land and space is king above all things. All the hipsters can’t live in Manhattan, but, they have to rest their heads somewhere, and, that somewhere is renovated downtown neighborhoods that were populated by inner-city blacks who moved out by force or by choice. Abagond, we all know the story by now…crime and lack of economic development didn’t allow the “hood” to get on it’s feet. Yes, some black people didn’t want better, but that doesn’t apply to all of us. It’s reverse migration from the burbs back into the same cities that whites abadoned in the first place. They view it as taking their land back, which isn’t their land anyway. Black people have just as much claim on this country as anybody, because, the blood, sweat, and tears of our ancestors built this god forsaken country. Nobody can tell us to shut up about a damn’ thing. Let’s call it what it is……Black people gettin’ the shaft as always. Abagond, black people need to wake up, and take the shades off, because history is repeating itself in more ways than one.
Tyrone
Reality Mode
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“The whitewashing of black neighborhoods is a problem in all major american cities, all of us as black people are affected in some capacity.”
I imagine second only to the Blackwashing of White neighborhoods?
I find it somewhat difficult to explain why Blacks should not be kept out of Beverly Hills, The Hamptons, or the Manhattan Plaza District, if Whites are to be kept out of certain areas, because having them there changes the community.
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Black cultural renaissance? How is that possible when there is supposedly no such thing as black culture? (rhetorical)
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King: smh… The distinction is that when whites gentrify, it forcibly squeezes out families who have lived there for years, even generations. When blacks enter a neighborhood, the whites rush out voluntarily. There’s a nice post on gentrification linked at the bottom of this entry.
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jas0nburns: why are you trolling? (rhetorical)
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Abagond:
King
Whites made a conscious decision to abandon the major metropolitan areas of this country for greener pastures. Why do they want to live in the cities again? Is it the long trek to work? Is it the lack of culture and excitement? Is it the growing number of middle-class blacks who’ve migrated to the burbs from the big cities? Is it about saving the environment, because, the trees and animals have equal rights as well, Al Gore? Just asking questions!
Tyrone
Reality Mode
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@Eva
Questioning the inconsistencies of anti racism rhetoric should ultimately strengthen it and make it more persuasive.if calling bullshit when I see it is trolling than I guess I’m a troll.
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It’s slowly happening in the Oak Cliff, and Pleasant grove section of
Dallas also, it appears to be a nationwide phenomena, middle class whites left these
areas in the 70s and 80s, when blacks moved in, then blacks moved out to the southern
Suburbs when hispanics moved in, with hispanics, now that the prices are low, and whites
feel less threatened by hispanics, they’re moving back in starting with places like kessler park,
And winnetka heights, lather, rinse, and repeat
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And speaking of Central Park, the 1800s and the obliteration of black communities… http://projects.ilt.columbia.edu/seneca/frame.html
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Who said there wasn’t a black culture? That’s an honest question. If anyone said that, what was his/her reasoning?
Gentrification hurts my soul. What they are doing is pretty much kicking poor and underprivileged people out of the one place they made a home. The white people that move into these historic poc places are moving to the very same places their parents told them not to go to after dark. If they are moving there to be closer to poc, can’t they see they are pushing them out. Making rent higher and replacing old businesses with plastic surgeon offices. How shallow can you get. Why not a new business that hires the people that lived there for generations. Maybe even a place for children to go to after school while their parents work. Why not add to the community instead of creating the same one you just left.
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I should have had a lot more question marks in my post. Sorry.
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@ Maemay
Good thoughts there, but just so you know,
jas0nburns was being sarcastic.
“Black cultural renaissance? How is that possible when there is supposedly no such thing as black culture?” (rhetorical)
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No, Jason was being smirking and petulant, playing some faux devil’s advocate that is not necessary or helpful.
The “there is no black culture” thought is a response to the idea that there is some unifying black culture throughout all of America or the world, usually operating on the assumption that it is the cause of so-called “black pathologies.” Or just an excuse to make broad stereotypes. Most white Americans think “black culture” means Snoop Dogg, stuff on BET, maybe Tyler Perry movies, and that’s it.
Of course there are uniquely black cultural contributions, like jazz, hip-hop, and some of the best American literature out there. The ideas do not conflict.
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Hi – First of all should let you know that your blog is first-rate. Always educational and informative. Very refreshing when too many are just opinions led by media agendas.
Should also let you know that something very similar has been happening here in the UK. I think gentrification and a huge upsurge in housing costs has directly led to an upsurge in British racism in recent years. Hipster/trust fund racists seem to be using their racism as a tool to move people of colour out of desired areas. Housing shortages are being blamed on immigrants too. It’s a dangerous lie that’s spread like wildfire.
Our government’s policies (cuts in benefits, jobs, wages, affordable housing etc) will directly lead to London being severely ‘whitened’ (and white poor people will suffer very badly too). Even the Mayor of London (a member of the same party) criticized it as “ethnic cleansing”.
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“The “there is no black culture” thought is a response to the idea that there is some unifying black culture throughout all of America or the world, usually operating on the assumption that it is the cause of so-called “black pathologies.” Or just an excuse to make broad stereotypes.”
Indeed, that’s exactly what it is. “there is no black culture” also happens to be a totally false statement. I guess I’m a stickler.
China is a vast Nation with incredible cultural variance within it’s boarders. There is also quite a bit of cultural unity when compared to those outside China. Would you say that there is no such thing as Chinese culture just because many American’s think China = Gereral Tso’s chicken and Kung Fu?
I think it’s important because by saying “there’s no black culture” your telling people to ignore the obvious. That’s usually all it takes to ensure that you won’t be taken seriously. I think we can find a better response than “there is no black culture” Any suggestions?
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“We”?? Who do you think you are?!
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Someone who is constantly looking for the best way to respond to people who make broad stereotypes based on a weak understanding of black culture. Problem?
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Uuummm. I know he was trying to be slick when he typed it. A more appropriate question would be , why did you type it?’ It seems kind of random and no one here brought it up. Well, not that I’ve noticed. That’s why I asked who said it and why. I don’t think that what was typed was relevant. So it seems like your trolling. I’m just trying to understand why you typed it. What are we suppose to learn and how is it important to this topic?
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Maemay
talk about something else then. Sorry for the derail.
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Snoop Dogg, stuff on BET, maybe Tyler Perry movies
Of course there are uniquely black cultural contributions, like jazz, hip-hop, and some of the best American literature out there
-All of those things are definitely apart of black American culture.
-Black American culture is a sub-culture of American culture, as is White American culture.
-Saying a group of people have a culture does not mean this group is monolithic or lacking diversity. This is bc within black American culture there are various sub-cultures.
-Hip hop, for instance, is undoubtedly a culture on its own, regardless if all black Americans follow hip hop culture or not, however, it is still considered “black” bc it is a sub-culture of Black American culture.
-Some cultural traits that black Americans take on do perpetuate several black “black pathologies”. That being said, these anti-social cultural traits aren’t necessarily “black” even if many black Americans adhere to them. This is bc these traits weren’t created by or unique to black America.
-To understand my last point a little bit better, I’ll give the example of Christianity. That religion is definitively a cultural trait of black America, however, Christianity isn’t considered “black”
That’s my take on the issue…
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Gentrification seems to be horrible for the poorer citizens that go through that process. I know that it is often, racial in the US, but is it racist? Are the rich, often white, residents who move in racist? Are they bad ppl? Are they wrong for moving into a poorer neighborhood?
Also, what can be done to stop this? Should the government come in the way to prevent these sort of things from happening?
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Thank you for saying it much better than I did… My apologies for not specifying black American.
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“I know that it is often, racial in the US, but is it racist?”
A good question.
It has certainly been used by racists, at times. However, gentrification is really an economic term. It’s better applied between identified classes than between races. The problem is that every time a White person moves into a “black neighborhood” it’s not “gentrification.” I know a lot of neighborhoods where White people are moving in because that’s where they can afford now. On the other hand, there are areas of Compton that have been Black neighborhoods for decades that are now completely Latino neighborhoods. When the Latinos started moving in, the Blacks started moving out… call it Black flight.
I understand the history of gentrification (used as a tool for ethnic displacement) but I also can see that you can’t call it gentrification, when it’s White people, and then call it something else when it’s not.
Also, sometimes people move out of a neighborhood because they are offered a fair price for their house. I know folks who were more than happy to get some cash for an old house that they could no longer maintain because somebody else saw the neighborhood as “promising” and had the money to put into it.
All I’m saying is that the gentrification shoe needs to fit before we start squeezing it onto other people’s feet, that’s all.
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I’m sorry that I missed your question, Tyrone:
My answer is that that Whites (or Blacks) are not a hive consciousness, or an army under a single command.
“WHITES” did not abandon the major metropolitan areas. Individual White people made individual decisions to leave for individual reasons. They didn’t all sign some paper saying, “The White race does herby renounce any claim to these urban lands encompassed by the…” If different White people, or even the same White people wish to BUY property, or RENT living space, there is no skin-color restriction based on any other persons of similar appearance that once lived there but who may have left the area.
the reason’s why other people with “White skin” left in the past is irrelevant.
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Interesting article on the ethnic changes in Harlem NY.
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Abagond:
King
Are the majority of blacks in Fort Greene, Brooklyn african-american, west-indian, or latin? Why I ask this question? I read an article on another blog that talked about west-indian and latin blacks in NY looking down on black americans in the city, and it made me think about this issue from another angle. Obviously, I don’t live in New York, so, I don’t know all the facts. Abagond, who are the blacks that are being pushed aside by the powers that be, because it matters. West-Indian and latin blacks in NYC see themselves as better than native blacks, and thus, are treated better than by whomever is in power at any given time, Really!?
Tyrone
Reality Mode
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Abagond:
King
In LA, did blacks want to abandon black neighborhoods, or were they forced out by the overwhelming numbers of immigrants from Mexico? I remember hearing a lot of stories about blacks in LA being targeted by mexican gangs. LA is a case study that needs more study
Tyrone
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@ Tyrone
There were people who wanted to leave because Latinos were willing to buy their homes, and they heard that nicer homes were available for pretty reasonable rates far to the north (Palmdale/Lancaster area) and far to the east (Moreno Valley/Fontana)
There were also people who left later on because they liked living among Black people but didn’t want to live in a neighborhood that was going Mexican.
They basically fled the changing demographic wave and moving into neighborhoods that were a bit more affluent than the ones they had left. Those who were renting just decided to rent somewhere else, if they could afford it.
There were some gang problems between Black and Latino gangs later on (which you refer to), but in no case did Mexican immigrants go door to door and FORCE Blacks to leave. There were no occurrences where “overwhelming numbers of immigrants” descended like locusts upon Black people and by sheer force of numbers, pushed them right out of their houses. If Blacks left, 95% of the time it was because they chose to leave.
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@ Tyrone
Obviously WP overblow the “blacks have a victim mentality” thing and take every complaint made by POC as victim mentality even when the complaint is legitimate…. But dude seriously you’re not helping because you’re consciously trying to makes blacks victims when they aren’t. You’re such a cliche i’m wondering if your really a black man. If you are black maybe WP aren’t totally making the victim thing up, maybe it’s something that some blacks fall back on because they couldn’t possibly accept that they would be to blame or at fault for anything. You know, that thing WP are always doing that you hate so much?
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Roy Ayers did an athem to Brooklyn even though he’s from LA
We live in Brooklyn, Baby — a musically challenging piece which nods the heads of many a Brooklynite. It’s tight and totally off the subject at hand
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I usually lurk, but I had to ask: Isn’t Erykah (Wright) Badu from Dallas?
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She is but she has also lived in Fort Greene.
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Abagond:
jasOnburns
It’s not about seeing blacks as victims, because I don’t subscribe to that mindset. In the past I might have looked at the issue from a different angle, but I’ve changed. When bad things happen to black people, It’s not always our fault alone. When the US Supreme Court made it legal for government to steal private property in this country, all for the sake of economic development, It opened up a can of worms that have real consequences. If government can take your private property without just cause, We have no freedom in this country, Point Blank!
Tyrone
Reality Mode
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Abagond:
King
Appreciate the feedback brotha, Thanks! The black/hispanic issue is simmering under the radar, and it needs to be focused on at some point and time in the near future. Black folk have slipped from the second largest racial group in the country to number three in the span of ten years, Why? Is it all because of illegal migration from central and south america? Is it because of black people not having enuf babies? Is it because of whites not wanting blacks to be the majority population in the country, so, they willingly allowed the borders of this country to be violated by non-blacks from latin-america? Cubans can break the law, Mexicans can break the law, but black haitians are sent back to Haiti regardless of their personal circumstances. King, it’s all bulls**t to me……Stank, Funky, etc.
Tyrone
Reality Mode
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My family’s roots as Italian-Americans in Ft. greene go back as far as the early 30’s and continued to the late 90’s… Fact is, it was a white neighborhood before it was ever a black neighborhood… Whites moved out for greener pastures because fact is, crime rate began to go up. It was abandonment only for the sake of trying to raise families in a safer enviornment. Based on the way some people see thingsin these posts, one can say, whites were once forced out too, right? My family remained there throughout all the changes… Good and bad. Over the years we were vicimized by crime, had to live with locked gates and bars on our windows and doors. I rememer vividly at 11 years old walking past an abandoned home only to see junkies shooting up… And I vividly remember the war zone on Myrtle Ave. and the gun shots that passed me, not to mention the looting and distruction during the 1976 blackout. Who could really blame anyone for abandoning this kind of neighborhood? I doubt blacks enjoy this kind of environment as well. As a white female with family roots going way back in Ft. Greene and who stuck it out though all the changes, it’s just as much my neighborhood as it is anyone who lived there. It doesn’t and never did belong to whites or blacks, it belongs to the people who live there. It’s the ignorant attitude of both blacks and whites of only seeing things in back or white that will keep racial segregation alive forever. Equality goes both ways, don’t forget I was the minority while growing up in Ft. Greene and had my share of racisim come my way. I’ve experienced it from both sides. It’s really sad to read some of thsese posts complaining about whites moving in rather than celebrating the positive changes such as, the reduced crime rate, the increase value of your properties, now a safer place to raise your children, and the overall rehabilitation of our neighborhood making it a better place to live. Myrtle Avenue was once called Murder Avenue (google it), that’s when you should have been complaining of the kind of neighbors you had. I’m proud to have been raised in Ft. Greene, I have friends of all kinds and it made me who I am today. Now when I go back to visit, I smile when I see what it has become. I’m really sorry for those of you who are unable share this smile with me and even more sorry for those of you who miss the days of Murder Avenue.
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