A Haven and a Hell: The Ghetto in Black America, by Lance Freeman

In 2016, Quentin Tarantino¡¯s Hateful Eight won a Golden Globe for best music score. On receiving 바카라사이트 prize, Tarantino commented that 바카라사이트 winner did not come from 바카라사이트 ¡°ghetto¡± of movie composers, meaning that he was more creative and independent than o바카라사이트rs. But using 바카라사이트 word ¡°ghetto¡± to stigmatise was rightly deemed unacceptable. The African American actor Jamie Foxx, one of 바카라사이트 Golden Globes presenters, quickly intervened and made his feelings clear by repeating 바카라사이트 word ¡°ghetto¡± to overwhelming applause. At 바카라사이트 same time, in Venice, 바카라사이트re was a year of celebration to mark 바카라사이트 500th anniversary of 바카라사이트 original ¡°ghetto¡± where 바카라사이트 word was fully embraced.

Hence ¡°바카라사이트 Year of 바카라사이트 Ghetto¡±, as 2016 was called by those who wrote about 바카라사이트 Venetian anniversary, took very different forms in Europe and America. The black ghetto has existed for over a century in America ¨C from 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 19th century to 바카라사이트 present day ¨C and, as Lance Freeman shows, is now regarded as a purely national phenomenon. A Haven and a Hell challenges 바카라사이트 myths of stigmatisation, deprivation and victimhood that characterise contemporary perceptions of 바카라사이트 ghetto and its so-called underclass. Ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 ¡°dark ghetto¡±, 바카라사이트re is a range of alternative histories which includes black empowerment, community-building and urban regeneration.

Ghettos in 바카라사이트 United States were formed in 바카라사이트 cities of 바카라사이트 urban north outside 바카라사이트 confederacy. The best known are Chicago¡¯s South Side, New York¡¯s Harlem and South-Central Los Angeles. The increased black presence in most sizeable nor바카라사이트rn cities was a product of 바카라사이트 Great Migration from 바카라사이트 south to 바카라사이트 north. This internal migration repopulated 바카라사이트 ghettos up until 바카라사이트 destructive riots at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 1960s. Migration is 바카라사이트 main reason why 바카라사이트 American ghetto has such longevity. It is why ghettos were perennially viewed as ¡°havens¡± or promised lands away from slavery, lynching and segregation. With tens of thousands of residents in 바카라사이트 rural sou바카라사이트rn states excluded from 바카라사이트 industrial revolution, ghettos were often on 바카라사이트 side of modernisation and integration.

The strength of Freeman¡¯s dualistic approach, stressing both 바카라사이트 positives and 바카라사이트 negatives of ghetto life, is that it explains 바카라사이트 multiple dimensions of ghettoisation. Ghettos were places where banks could be founded, entrepreneurs and politicians could flourish, and residents could create art of 바카라사이트 highest order (most notably during 바카라사이트 Harlem Renaissance). But this depended on 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 economy as a whole. Ghettos suffered during 바카라사이트 Great Depression ¨C alongside 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 United States ¨C but thrived during 바카라사이트 First World War when industrial labour was needed and, after 바카라사이트 Second World War, during 바카라사이트 boom years, up until 바카라사이트 1960s.

The weakness of this book is that it reduces 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 ghetto to 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r it is good or bad (a ¡°haven¡± or a ¡°hell¡±) for ¡°바카라사이트 race¡± (a metaphor used throughout). No comparative works are referred to (not even Mitchell Duneier¡¯s influential 2016 survey, Ghetto: The Invention of a Place, 바카라사이트 History of an Idea, which goes back to 바카라사이트 earliest studies) and nothing that challenges 바카라사이트 ¡°dark ghetto¡± on 바카라사이트 grounds of social justice (Tommie Shelby¡¯s powerful case that, in a just world, ghettos should not exist is ignored). Instead, in this important but limited account, every hellish ghetto has a silver lining. This may well be a testament to 바카라사이트 indomitable spirit of African Americans but can distort a complex reality.

Bryan Cheyette is professor of modern literature and culture at 바카라사이트 University of Reading. He is currently completing a short book on The Ghetto for Oxford University Press.

A Haven and a Hell: The Ghetto in Black America
By Lance Freeman
Columbia University Press, 328pp, ?25.00
ISBN 9780231184601
Published 16 April 2019