New York City has often been celebrated as the melting pot of the world: the place of coexistence between peoples of various backgrounds, ethnicities and races. Although it is true that the diversity of NYC is unparalleled to few other places in the world, the reality of NYC’s dynamic demographics reflects quite a different picture than the glossed over praises associated with the city.
The past has shown that this city’s racial and ethnic coexistence oftentimes hangs in the balance, existing on a very polarized scale between neighborhoods of historically established ethnic and racial niches. The problem of contested turf emerges when the majority ethnic/racial group of a neighborhood comes in contact with minority groups in the area.
To examine this, we look first look at Howard Beach, an upper middle class white neighborhood in the NYC borough of Queens, has exhibited many incidents of racial tension that reflect the desire of the majority population to retain the historically dominant racial identity of the neighborhood.
Looking at the data above, it is easy to visualize the changing, or rather unchanging demographics of Howard Beach. From the 1900's to present day, it has remained a dominantly white neighborhood with a large Italian population. Although ethnic and racial niches have served as important foundational communities amongst which many immigrants can adjust to the new NYC life, niches that have grown to be historically unchanging often have a very conserved sentiment, resulting in intolerance of other minorities. The black population of this neighborhood has never been above 1%, and other Asian and Hispanic groups have always remained a minority in the area. The desire to keep one's ethnicity dominant in a community is often the foundation of the anti-minority mentality.
Looking at the maps above, we can easily see that the demographic make up of Queens over the last two decades has changed very little. Queens is a very strongly racialized borough, and the racial tension that emerges when the “invisible” boundary of a community’s race has been crossed. But this demographic makeup is not something that has spontaneously emerged, corrupt practices of racial discrimination has shaped the current polarized state of affairs in the city and has deepened the anti-outsider sentiment. Although Howard Beach has seen a slight increase in the African American population, that influx is accompanied by an outflux of the white population, indicating racial intolerance and a desire to keep one’s “turf” one race/ethnicity.
The Howard Beach killing of Michael Griffith in 1986 is one of the tragedies that has occurred as a result of racist sentiment and minority intolerance.
ABC NEWS REPORT ON THE HOWARD BEACH ATTACK
Dec. 22, 1986: Racial Attacks in N.Y.
The complete coverage by reporter Bill O’Reilly on the Howard Beach incident: racial violence towards three African Americans, carried out by a baseball bat wielding gang of white teenagers. It resulted in the death of one of the victims, Michael Griffith, who upon fleeing was struck by a car.
The video notes that the racial conflict is attributed to the divide between the two Brooklyn neighborhoods, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Howard Beach; one a predominantly black neighborhood, the other predominantly white. We once again see the racial conflict that emerges in communities dominated by one race/ ethnicity.
The aftermath and community response is reported on, as well as the featured critical perspectives by Rev. Al Sharpton and Mayor Ed Koch.
“Watch this December 20, 1986 story covering the racial attack in Howard Beach, which resulted in one man being chased to his death on to the Belt Parkway. Then-Mayor Ed Koch condemned the attack, calling it the ‘number one law enforcement case in the city.'” (NBC)
The video report above shows the varying perspective Howard Beach residents have in the community. White community members see no evidence of racial tension, despite multiple other unsolved incidents of racially motivated attacks, while African American security guard Gregory Chesson claims that blacks in Howard Beach feel like the “white guy in Harlem.”
In 2006, a twenty-year old black male, Glenn Moore, was with his two friends in Howard Beach when he was brutally attacked and beaten by three white males, one of whom was wielding a bat. The attacker, Nick Minucci, claimed that the African American youths “one-hundred percent” came to rob the white people of the community.
How do Print Media Sources Portray the Events?
Analyzing how media sourced portray acts of racial tensions
The attack is a stark reminder of the 1986 racially motivated killing of Michael Griffith, and raises the question of whether or not the neighborhood of Howard Beach has progressed from its racially intolerant past? When researching both the events of the Michael Griffith killing and Glenn Moore attack nearly all media sources begin by claiming that black individuals were present in predominantly white neighborhoods. These articles are almost ironic in this manner. The goal of the articles are meant to express discontent and anger towards racial hate crimes, crimes that stem from the issue of contested turf, yet the articles themselves comment, in both the incidents of Michael Griffith and Glenn Moore, that these black youths were in a dominantly white community. They alienate the victims as being outsiders in the communities within which they were victimized. Although it seems like a simple factual statement, phrases like the ones above deepen the divide in what are already very polarized neighborhoods.
Public Response to Attack
Ripples Beyond the Social Sphere – Public Leaders Respond
Contested turf and the importance of mediating between communities during times of racial tension has progressed towards becoming a more prevalent issue of concern in politics. Former Mayor Ed Koch was heavily criticized for his lack of community involvement during the time of Michael Griffith's killing, and on multiple occasions during his mayoral regime he was criticized for his lack of attention in matters concerning racial and ethnic minorities. The growing need for a Mayor who acts not only as a political leader but also as a social mediator and peacemaker between communities can be seen through the election of David Dinkins, who was elected on the stance that he would heal the racial wounds of the city. What makes a Mayor and effective mediator? Our analysis on the incidents of 1986 and 2005 has brought to light starkly contrasting mayoral responses, enabling us to understand which tactics have been effective and which have not. Although Mayor Ed Koch condemned the killing of Michael Griffith, he was still met with much criticism from African American community leader Al Sharpton and film director Spike Lee. In 2005, following the attack on Glenn Moore, not only did Mayor Bloomberg condemn the actions, but he physically visited the boroughs of racial tension, and attempted to pacify the anger. Bloomberg visited City Hall, Queens and the Bronx to remind people the zero tolerance policy this city has towards hateful, racist individuals. An active role in the community even earned Mayor Bloomberg praise from Rev. Al Sharpton. A leader who strives to show support and takes an active role in dissipating racial tension is an effective leader, and although it does not solve the problem of contested turf, it is an effective step that helps prevent the city from tearing itself apart.
“The scars of the deadly racial assault that started on Dec. 19, 1986, and polarized New York City have faded, but have not fully healed.”
– Sam Roberts, The New York Times, 2011
Drawing Parallels – Has Howard Beach Progressed?
The three white males involved in the attack on Michael Griffith were charged with second-degree manslaughter. Nick Minucci, who attacked Glenn Moore in 2005, was charged with a sentence of eight years in prison on account for his heinous, racially motivated hate crime. Although these events and arrests were treated as acts of hate executed by individuals, there is perhaps a more institutionalized, societal aspect to the problem. Howard Beach is a community lacking the diversity of minority groups. With a historically dominant white population, many of the citizens of Howard Beach, particularly the youth, are subconsciously engrained with this idea of who does and does not belong in the community based on superficial aspects. The attacks on 1986 and 2005, attacks that are almost identical yet took place nearly two decades apart, are a reminder of the dangerous sentiment that is created when communities lack racial integration. Despite the recurring racial attacks, the response of political and community leaders have aided in preventing these racial tensions from erupting into racial wars within the city. While we can hope that over the years, the citizens of New York City will grow to be more tolerant and accepting of others, both within and outside of their communities, the reality of contested turf is that it will take years to undo a problem that has been manifesting for decades within this city.It was a horrendous crime committed by individuals
“I could recall 25 years ago as a kid, I would not recommend anyone black stopping there. Today, it’s definitely a different place.”
– Gregory W. Meeks, Representative of Old Howard Beach
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