"So Rude and So Crude"

Charlotte’s History with Urban Renewal and the Annihilation of the African American Community and Culture of Brooklyn: 1960-1970

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to highlight the impact that urban renewal had on African American communities in Charlotte, Borth Carolina between the 1950s and 1970s, specifically the Brooklyn community. The work identifies the numerous facets of culture that existed in the Brooklyn community, and how urban renewal led to the destruction of that culture. After establishing a socially inclusive definition of culture, this work portrays the existence of a strong and vibrant culture within the Brooklyn community and how urban renewal was used in the erasure of this culture. Previous research has examined the impact that urban renewal has had on inner cities, on different ethnic groups, and the ways in which white city leaders used urban renewal to continue residential segregation. My research differs by investigating the specific impact that urban renewal had on African American culture, analyzing the effect the destruction of the physical community of Brooklyn had on the community’s culture. This paper relies heavily on my analysis of an oral history project overseen by Dr. Karen Flint, which includes over forty interviews with former Brooklyn residents. My paper concludes that Charlotte’s white leaders’ inherent racism led to the destruction of Brooklyn’s physical community, which contributed to the forced displacement of residents and to the destruction of Brooklyn’s pre-displacement culture. This research is important both to recognize the strength and significance of the Brooklyn community’s culture and to understand how racism in Charlotte’s past has shaped the current residential landscape of Charlotte.