Weaving Legacies in Bedford-Stuyvesant: Sustainability through Connectivity
Bedford-Stuyvesant has been a cultural epicenter for New York City’s black population since the 1920’s. It shares many of the challenges of historically black neighborhoods across the United States such as in Detroit, Michigan and Watts, Los Angeles. However, Bedford-Stuyvesant’s identity is defined by the ingenuity and resilience of its black residents who were denied their basic civil rights and excluded from the tools and services that white people relied on to build wealth. Black residents fought for their rights and sought justice for their community, making the neighborhood a crucial hub for Civil Rights, Black Power and Black Arts movements. They also found creative ways to build wealth for their families inside and outside of the formal economy. As part of my graduate urban planning and historic preservation curriculum, I examined and documented the current Bedford-Stuyvesant and hoped to showcase the cultural vibrancy, rich legacy and development challenges in this neighborhood.