Root Shock: Weighing the cost of urban renewal

Urban renewal, once hailed as the savior of urban areas, has often led to unintended consequences. The drastic reshaping of a city can prompt the demolition of entire neighborhoods, often including homes that were historically owned by African-American families. Asheville has its own history of troublesome urban renewal, especially in the East End neighborhood, where black families were uprooted in the name of urban renewal.

On shaky ground:: Photographer Andrea Clark’s photo documentation of Asheville’s demolished East End neighborhood figures heavily in a series of programs on the hidden costs of urban renewal. Photo by Andrea Clark

The cultural fallout , dubbed “Root Shock” by psychiatrist Mindy Fullilove, lasts for generations and denies African-American families a firm footing in the community.

UNC-Asheville and Buncombe County Public Libraries are hosting an upcoming series of presentations and events spotlighting urban renewal as it has played both here in Western North Carolina and across the country:
• Photographer Andrea Clark, who documented the East End neighborhood before its destruction in the 1970s, will discuss “Visions in Black and White: Asheville’s East End, A Community on the Cusp of Urban Renewal,” on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 6:30 p.m. at UNCA’s Humanities Lecture Hall.
• Clinical psychiatrist Fullilove, author of Root Shock: How Tearing up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It (One World/Ballantine, 2004), will speak Friday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in UNCA’s Humanities Lecture Hall.
• A reception for Fullilove will follow a discussion with Asheville community elders on Saturday, Feb. 28, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Diana Wortham Theater.
• An exhibition of Clark’s photographs, titled “Twilight of a Neighborhood: Asheville’s East End, 1970,” will be on display Feb. 28 through March 31 in A-B Tech’s Holly Library. A reception for Clark will be held at the gallery on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m.
• A panel discussion and public forum on “Learning the Lessons of Root Shock: Building Better Neighborhoods for Us All” will be held on Sunday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m. in A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium.
• The film When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts will be screened over two nights in UNCA’s Humanities Lecture Hall. The first half will be shown Wednesday, March 18, at 7 p.m., followed by the second half on March 19 at 7 p.m. The Hot 8 Brass Band, heralded as the keepers of the New Orleans Jazz flame, will hold a Q&A after the March 19 showing.
• The Hot 8 Brass Band will perform on Friday, March 20, at 8 p.m. in UNCA’s Lipinski Auditorium. Admission is $10, or $5 for students, and are available at 232-5000 or www.uncatickets.com. All other events are free and open to the public.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.