TITLE: Norman Street
AUTHOR: Ida Susser
SECTION: Introduction (New Version)
In the original introduction of Norman Street, the main issues that were addressed were the conditions of the people in Greenpoint-Williamsburg after the fiscal crisis in 1975 and the different ways that they attempted to cope and fight against the withdrawal of necessary resources; on the other hand, the recent version of the introduction for Norman Street discusses the consequences of gentrification.
In the original introduction, it is pointed out that the global perception of Americans as being elitists with no concern for any sort of political involvement and class consciousness, is at odds with the reality that there are numerous signs of a political struggle within the States (Susser 70). Norman Street focuses on the area of Greenpoint-Williamsburg following the 1975 fiscal crisis which Susser points out “largely represented a speeding up of the transformation of New York from a city structured around light manufacturing and a poor working class to a city oriented toward a middle-class people employed by major corporation” (Susser 76). It was during this period of transition that unemployment, low wages, and withdrawal of important municipal services were rife (76). Industrialization, in turn, rendered certain skills obsolete and many people lost their jobs during the process.
Not unlike the tenants who lived in Greenpoint-Williamsburg during the 1970’s, those who are living there now are also facing another period of transition, one that gave rise to different housing policies, rising rents, and the displacement of thousands of families (Susser 5). It is also important to note that the citizens are not only suffering financially and economically, they are also struggling emotionally; the major displacement in the neighborhood has scattered the inhabitants and the tie of “community and kinship” are likewise strained (Susser 5). Unlike the original introduction, the current one includes statements from residents relating their personal attachment to the city as well as expressing their loss after the displacements. For instance on page 6, Frances Allen, a sculptor who has lived in the area since the 1980’s talks about his home: “This is my life…Now I’m old…My friends and I used our labor to fix up these buildings and create our neighborhood…Now my friends have been forced out and I am all alone.” (Susser 6). This addition adds an important dimension to the introduction. Though statistics and data are pertinent to analyzing the effects of gentrification in terms of the number of buildings that have been renovated and the number of inhabitants that were displaced, the direct statements from those that are experiencing it firsthand are equally as powerful, if not more because it highlights specific individuals and it is easier for the reader to sympathize with their plight.
In summation, both introductions highlight the prominent issues of the people of Greenpoint-Williamsburg during the 1970’s and in modern time. These issues morphed from the effects of industrialization and the fiscal crisis during the 1970’s to the current ramifications of gentrification. Yet, despite these political and economical problems, one thing that has remained consistent is the motivation of the community to preserve their neighborhood. Susser points out that several groups that existed during the fiscal crisis still remain present even now (Susser 42).
