![]() Their work, the first of its kind in Greenville, found that from 1960 to 1990, Black residents stayed in the city while the white population fled to the suburbs.īut in the last 30 years, the trends reversed.Ī story of Black population loss unfolded across Greenville as the city invested millions of dollars to create jobs and attract new residents. Census Bureau along precise neighborhood boundaries. Our yearlong look at these forces changing Greenville shows that lower-income people are being squeezed out to accommodate economic growth.įurman University examined population and income data produced by the U.S. “You will get over it,” she said, “because the park is here.” Black Greenville being squeezed out ![]() Lillian Brock Flemming, the first Black woman on Greenville City Council, addressed the criticism when she took the microphone that day in May. Efia Nwangaza, left, and other protestors demonstrated during the ceremony. Unity Park held its grand opening on May 19. “They could have ended homelessness in Greenville,” a voice rang out. One raised a sign that said, “No park in our name.”Īs White talked about plans to donate city-owned land near the park to affordable housing, a protester yelled, “Lie! Lie!” Read the full Furman University study: An exploration of historic and current population shifts in the city of Greenville and surrounding Greenville Countyįour protesters stood on a platform not far from the stage as Mayor White spoke at the opening ceremony. In the mile radius surrounding Unity Park, almost half of the Black residents have left in the last three decades. ![]() The number of white residents jumped nearly 90%. We found a stark pattern that split cleanly on racial lines, powered in part by steep wealth barriers.įrom 2010-2020, roughly the same time developers started buying land in anticipation of the park, the Black population in the surrounding neighborhood of Southernside alone dropped by more than 25%. The Greenville News partnered with Furman University to understand the dynamics of “progress” in our city. Others stand to prosper from Unity Park, from the city’s commercial and retail business development, land speculation, real estate deals and a shiny and profitable upper-class lifestyle vision for downtown. It might be too late for that pledge to be fulfilled for many Black people from Greenville. White called it a promise redeemed to the historically Black neighborhood the 60-acre park now anchors. It was the culmination of a 7-year, now-$80-million effort, the most ambitious and costly civic project in a generation. White outlined this history when he stood at the podium on a sunny May 19 morning, his speech capping the opening celebration for Unity Park.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |