I believe that the study of history can instruct and inform the present and provide guideposts from which to build a better future. I applaud the movement of the discipline toward inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives, for if we are to learn from the past, we need to understand how events affected all groups, not only those that successfully waged war or built empires, but also the conquered and marginalized. History is essentially the human story, and it becomes a richer tale when sourced from narratives that encompass the broad spectrum of human experience. As a historian studying the United States, I am especially fortunate to have such varied narratives to work with in illuminating and understanding this great nation. As the digital age has greatly increased access to recorded history, I welcome the contributions of both academic research and popular history in telling that story.
The chapters from Model City B lues highlight the tensi on between a business management style of urban renewal and one that allows for citizen involvement , as it specifically relates to redevelopment in New Haven in the 1960’s. Jackson details how racial attitudes influenced the assumption that primarily white academic and business leaders knew what was best for neighborhoods such as the Hill . She explains that neighborhood organizers had a long and sometimes successful history of advocating with Mayor Lee’s administration for improvements and taking direct action to improve their neighborhood, while the focus of the planners worked to stymie c itizen involvement. Jackson describes how New Haven fit into the broader issue of urban redevelopment as a national issue, and h ow Mayor Lee’s relationship with the Federal Government fostered a top-down formula for deciding how Federal dollars were spent in the city. It was with great interest that I read Jackson’s histor...
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