The Drive-Out of Black Presence in Kenwood
Kenwood is the home of many famous Black residents. Some of these residents include Barack Obama (first Black president), Carol Moseley Braun (first Black woman elected to U.S Senate), David “Honeyboy” Edwards (Delta blues guitarist and singer), and Muhammad Ali (former professional boxer). The Kenwood community holds rich Black history, however, gentrification will cause this history to become forgotten. Many attempt to argue that gentrification has had a positive effect on the Kenwood community; saying that gentrification makes the community wealthier with the rise of rent and property values and the conversion of rental units to ownership (condos) and new development of luxury housing (Public Broadcasting Service). However, many fail to realize that gentrification is causing the historical Black presence in Kenwood to dwell due to this economic change that creates implicit racial and economic boundaries within the Kenwood community; maintaining white supremacy, inequality, and segregation.
South Side communities are faced with stereotypes given to them by racial politics. Though racial politics are not as explicit as it used to be, gentrification is a way for racial politics to take a new form; maintaining white supremacy and segregation through the economy. As property values and rent continue to rise in Kenwood, low-income residents (predominantly Black residents) are forced to move elsewhere because they cannot afford to live in the Kenwood community. White supremacy then becomes maintained when Whites are given credit for “fixing up” this South Side community that was stereotyped as a bad community due to the migration of Blacks. With the move of Blacks and other low-income residents, implicit racial and economic boundaries are put into place, setting racial hierarchies throughout the community. As a result of gentrification, race becomes a hidden capitalized form of segregation.
“Because racial rule, white supremacy, had provided a structure of domination since its origins in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, it has also (always) drawn resistance. Born out of the independent and self-reliant cultures of subordinated, resistance is an aspect of human autonomy that can never be fully abdicated, no matter how imprisoned or subjugated the resister,” (Howard 22). Though racial politics continue to keep white supremacy and segregation around, there are ways in which Kenwood can bring their historical Black presence back to life. Creating a place for low-income residents would not only improve the Kenwood community, but it would also improve the living situation of many of the residents residing in the neighborhood, as well as removing stereotypes placed upon this South Side community. “The incorporation of these broader understandings of the process and consequences of gentrification into mainstream conceptions of urban change is a necessary (if not sufficient) condition for reinvigorated debates over gentrification’s potential beneficial and deleterious outcomes,”(Billingham 77). Society must understand and realize that though explicit outcomes of gentrification may appear beneficial, there are many implicit outcomes of gentrification that are being overlooked, which could cause rich history to become nonexistent.
South Side communities are faced with stereotypes given to them by racial politics. Though racial politics are not as explicit as it used to be, gentrification is a way for racial politics to take a new form; maintaining white supremacy and segregation through the economy. As property values and rent continue to rise in Kenwood, low-income residents (predominantly Black residents) are forced to move elsewhere because they cannot afford to live in the Kenwood community. White supremacy then becomes maintained when Whites are given credit for “fixing up” this South Side community that was stereotyped as a bad community due to the migration of Blacks. With the move of Blacks and other low-income residents, implicit racial and economic boundaries are put into place, setting racial hierarchies throughout the community. As a result of gentrification, race becomes a hidden capitalized form of segregation.
“Because racial rule, white supremacy, had provided a structure of domination since its origins in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, it has also (always) drawn resistance. Born out of the independent and self-reliant cultures of subordinated, resistance is an aspect of human autonomy that can never be fully abdicated, no matter how imprisoned or subjugated the resister,” (Howard 22). Though racial politics continue to keep white supremacy and segregation around, there are ways in which Kenwood can bring their historical Black presence back to life. Creating a place for low-income residents would not only improve the Kenwood community, but it would also improve the living situation of many of the residents residing in the neighborhood, as well as removing stereotypes placed upon this South Side community. “The incorporation of these broader understandings of the process and consequences of gentrification into mainstream conceptions of urban change is a necessary (if not sufficient) condition for reinvigorated debates over gentrification’s potential beneficial and deleterious outcomes,”(Billingham 77). Society must understand and realize that though explicit outcomes of gentrification may appear beneficial, there are many implicit outcomes of gentrification that are being overlooked, which could cause rich history to become nonexistent.