Cities 07

The black belt of poverty, as William J. Wilson states, contains an extremely large amount of poverty among blacks (131). The concentration of poverty is a result of the housing officials constructing large housing complexes called ‘projects’ for the poor. The neighborhoods that were once full of life, opportunity and hope are replaced with violence, fear, and struggle.

Wilson gives readers the full effect of what the living situation is like in the South Side of Chicago by providing excerpts of interviews from inhabitants. The older residents have seen the changes. They have seen beautiful homes and stores become places for drug exchanges, gang violence and an eye sore. A 91 –year-old women he interviews talks about the safety of the neighborhood. She says, “It’s not safe anymore because the streets aren’t” (127). Even after we have discussed Jane Jacobs we find her presence in Wilson’s article. This elderly lady gives insight to the importance of the sidewalks and streets. The pavement connects people together, because it is shared space. The blacktop near the housing projects is where the children played. But, not any longer; Jacob’s says that businesses and people on the sidewalks and streets are essential for safety. The 91-year-old women also recognizes this, because once the first sign of violence emerged, the black business owners packed up and left the neighborhood, leaving the streets and sidewalks in the dark.

I enjoy the fact that Wilson relates to Jacobs. Wilson realizes that the public spaces do need to be safe in order to have a decent living situation. Because when the eyes stay away from the dark corners, the gang violence occurs leaving the children even more endangered. The need for safety is crucial for and urban society to survive, and both Jacobs and Wilson realize that!

Posted By:

Kari J. Johnson

(Still a work in progress...I know!!)