Village Profile
| The Displacement of Blacks In Savannah – Part II |
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| Reflections of Southern Black Communities Past and Present |
by Brenda Walker
| "Something Reeks & it's Not the Industrial Plants" |
History repeats like birth and the revolving sun. There have always been clear
signs from the past that show us the present and future. Starting in the 1950’s
Savannah began one of the most aggressive historic preservation campaigns in the
entire country. In 1966, the historic district was designated a National Historic
Landmark. Before this time, hundreds of black families lived in now historic downtown.
Their presence was replaced by posh gift shops, many of which used to be slave
cottages in back of great mansions, and opulent three-level townhouses that had been
rented by blacks for many decades. The beautiful historic tourist town of Savannah
continues to extract the flavor foundation from its rich, southern pot. Preservation, re-
gentrification, revitalization, urban development; whatever they call it, America is
steadfastly removing the blacks and browns from its inner-cities.
In historically middle and upper class black communities like the neighborhood
encompassing the Beach Institute and Ben Van Clark around the Carnegie Library,
have been replaced and are being replaced by whites. Whites don’t generally get
coerced and forced from their neighborhoods, but blacks do. Every few generations
they are up-rooted.
It took no time at all to wipe out practically all traces of the black culture that
defined various coastal regions throughout South Carolina and Georgia.
Last year the City of Savannah bought the 36th Street Shopping Mall on Waters
Avenue for $1.6 million and plans to open a police station there by the end of the
current year. In a January 10, 2010 Savannah Morning News article entitled, “City
Targets Waters Avenue for Revitalization,” Assistant City Manager, Rochelle, Small-
Toney, stated that “the city has more than $1 million in capital improvement funds to
designate for Waters Avenue redevelopment.” Yet, business owners in addition to
homeowners in the area are being forced to finance revitalization or face losing their
properties.
Alderwoman Mary Osborne said that the city would be toughening its zoning
guidelines. Indeed it did. Property maintenance inspectors are going around
neighborhoods such as Live Oak (from Waters Ave. and 31 St. a few blocks east of
Bee Rd. to Victory Dr.) and fining home-owners whose houses don’t meet with their
codes. The city is placing liens on these properties if the residents cannot afford the
various major, costly improvements in as little as 45 days. They are doing this during
the most economically depressed time since the Great Depression.
In May of 2005, the historic Lincoln Street Community received a $45,000 grant
from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to prevent the displacement of the
residents, who, on their own, could not afford the costs to adhere to property codes.
Everyone knows it takes time to search for and then be awarded grants of any size.
The city gave these essentially non-minority residents time to acquire the necessary
funds. In contrast, they slap fines on black home-owners and tell them they have less
than two months or they’ll take the property they’ve either owned or have been making
mortgage payments on for many years. Several of these residents are also elderly,
living on fixed incomes.
What's really deplorable is that after the blacks comply to make expensive
repairs to their properties, the city will ultimately install a plan to push them out of their
homes. The people are, unfortunately, simply sprucing up their dwellings for the future
white occupants. Always the sacrificial lambs.
Savannah thrives from its abundant, historic splendor for which it is
understandably, extremely grateful. The city, apparently, shares little consideration or
appreciation for its black citizens, without whom there would be no profitable, historic
beauty.
signs from the past that show us the present and future. Starting in the 1950’s
Savannah began one of the most aggressive historic preservation campaigns in the
entire country. In 1966, the historic district was designated a National Historic
Landmark. Before this time, hundreds of black families lived in now historic downtown.
Their presence was replaced by posh gift shops, many of which used to be slave
cottages in back of great mansions, and opulent three-level townhouses that had been
rented by blacks for many decades. The beautiful historic tourist town of Savannah
continues to extract the flavor foundation from its rich, southern pot. Preservation, re-
gentrification, revitalization, urban development; whatever they call it, America is
steadfastly removing the blacks and browns from its inner-cities.
In historically middle and upper class black communities like the neighborhood
encompassing the Beach Institute and Ben Van Clark around the Carnegie Library,
have been replaced and are being replaced by whites. Whites don’t generally get
coerced and forced from their neighborhoods, but blacks do. Every few generations
they are up-rooted.
It took no time at all to wipe out practically all traces of the black culture that
defined various coastal regions throughout South Carolina and Georgia.
Last year the City of Savannah bought the 36th Street Shopping Mall on Waters
Avenue for $1.6 million and plans to open a police station there by the end of the
current year. In a January 10, 2010 Savannah Morning News article entitled, “City
Targets Waters Avenue for Revitalization,” Assistant City Manager, Rochelle, Small-
Toney, stated that “the city has more than $1 million in capital improvement funds to
designate for Waters Avenue redevelopment.” Yet, business owners in addition to
homeowners in the area are being forced to finance revitalization or face losing their
properties.
Alderwoman Mary Osborne said that the city would be toughening its zoning
guidelines. Indeed it did. Property maintenance inspectors are going around
neighborhoods such as Live Oak (from Waters Ave. and 31 St. a few blocks east of
Bee Rd. to Victory Dr.) and fining home-owners whose houses don’t meet with their
codes. The city is placing liens on these properties if the residents cannot afford the
various major, costly improvements in as little as 45 days. They are doing this during
the most economically depressed time since the Great Depression.
In May of 2005, the historic Lincoln Street Community received a $45,000 grant
from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to prevent the displacement of the
residents, who, on their own, could not afford the costs to adhere to property codes.
Everyone knows it takes time to search for and then be awarded grants of any size.
The city gave these essentially non-minority residents time to acquire the necessary
funds. In contrast, they slap fines on black home-owners and tell them they have less
than two months or they’ll take the property they’ve either owned or have been making
mortgage payments on for many years. Several of these residents are also elderly,
living on fixed incomes.
What's really deplorable is that after the blacks comply to make expensive
repairs to their properties, the city will ultimately install a plan to push them out of their
homes. The people are, unfortunately, simply sprucing up their dwellings for the future
white occupants. Always the sacrificial lambs.
Savannah thrives from its abundant, historic splendor for which it is
understandably, extremely grateful. The city, apparently, shares little consideration or
appreciation for its black citizens, without whom there would be no profitable, historic
beauty.
| LIVE OAK NEIGHBORHOOD |
| BEN VAN CLARK NEIGHBORHOOD |
| HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SAVANNAH |
| CONDEMED PROPERTY |
From
Spring 2010
Spring 2010
| SOUTHERN SCENE MAGAZINE |