Reaction 4-2-2012

The reading by Anbinder describes how politicians and the City of New York attempted to clean up the slums of Five Points; although minor improvements did manifest themselves in the area, Five Points soon resumes its place as the most notorious slum in the city, albeit after a short hiatus. The reading also explores how during the American Civil War, the labor shortage allowed for the improvement of wages for many laborers in the area. They in turn moved to better areas. Sanjek explains that “white flight” was the culprit behind population shifts in Corona. This is a theme we discussed in class: as soon as a group living in a poor area has the means to move out, it usually does. The impact that these sorts of moves have had on American demographics is quite apparent: the growth of suburbia. While many whites did leave Corona, during the 20th century Corona remained a racially integrated and diverse neighborhood. ”The mere presence of whites in significant numbers assured better public services, such as public schools, building code enforcement, and garbage collection, as well as access to mortgages and other banking and commercial services” (Gregory 57). This favoritism by the government had a huge role shaping the neighborhoods in New York. Although segregation, slavery, and institutionalized racism seem to be a thing of the past in New York, they all played a substantial role in how the city was shaped. Indeed Foner goes into quite vivid detail in chapter 5 about how shifting ideas about race and ethnicity affected the integration of immigrants into New York’s society. Although it often seems trite, the role of race cannot be overlooked in regards to immigration and the way New York’s structure came to be.