What's it Like in Crown Heights?
That’s what Brooklyn Based has been asking, and two Crown Heights residents—a relative long-timer and a newcomer—are answering. The 12-year resident pays $864.72 for a fourth-floor walk-up, likes the transportation options and the West Indian Day Parade, and doesn’t like the violence, not surprisingly. Still she feels safe. The three-year resident moved to a one-bedroom…
That’s what Brooklyn Based has been asking, and two Crown Heights residents—a relative long-timer and a newcomer—are answering. The 12-year resident pays $864.72 for a fourth-floor walk-up, likes the transportation options and the West Indian Day Parade, and doesn’t like the violence, not surprisingly. Still she feels safe. The three-year resident moved to a one-bedroom for $1,100. She finds the lack of big box commerce—dry cleaners and fruit stands but few big chains—a reprieve from mall-ized Manhattan, and like the longtime resident, appreciates the new upscale restaurants moving in. But she makes a point: new residents, and the businesses that accommodate them, seem to have little to do with longtime residents. Crown Heights has long been known as a neighborhood of duality, with African-Americans and Orthodox Jews sometimes in conflict, sometimes in harmony, but now there seems to be another Crown Heights emerging. Thoughts?
Photo by sahadeva.
and you speak from what great fountain of knowledge, just wondering? “There is no ‘Caribbean’ American category on any census or other type of form requiring a racial/cultural distinction.” And that means it simply can’t exist? You’re white, it seems. Tell me you never said. I’m Irish-American or Italian or Norwegian? Those aren’t on census forms either but only a fool would say those distinctions don’t exist. It’s all part of the rich immigrant contribution to American society which people like you would love to ignore.
‘Caribbean’ vs African American? Most of them are Black i.e. African-American! There is no ‘Caribbean’ American category on any census or other type of form requiring a racial/cultural distinction. I never even understood the term ‘Hispanic.’ I know ‘Hispanic’ people that are Black, White and one who would technically qualify as Asian.
yes, the more recent immigrants make a strong cultural distinction between being ‘carribean’ vs. african-american.
Oh also Guvna, the distinct West Indian flavor present in certain neighborhoods in Brooklyn comes from the more recent immigrants. We saw the West Indian American parade grow as the West Indian population grew. My grandfather was born in Barbados and he along with many of the other first wave of immigrants who came to NY in the 1920’s saw themselves as part of the bigger group of African Americans who were all forced to deal with segregation and racism as Blacks in America. Marcus Garvey who was from Jamaica forged a very large coalition of African Americans – that is Americans of African descent – to combat their collective problems. His answer of course was to go back to Africa.
The more recent immigrants came, as I stated in my first post after the Civil Rights Act of 1965. Their experiences were very different from the earlier arrivals so they did not have as much as a need to assimilate. We see much of these cultural distinctions playing out in local politics. It started with Una Clarke (Jamaican and Yvette’s mother) going after Major Owens’ (American) seat and playing up her West Indian heritage to get votes.
Benson, I am certain it was Bensonhurst because I grew up there. The area is sometimes referred to as Bath Beach. We were mostly around 18th Avenue and Bath Avenue. Mount Zion Baptist Church on Bath Avenue predates Saint Finbar’s and is where my in-laws were married in 1945. My father-in-law reported to the draft board at the JCH on Bay Parkway for WWII.
and
Guvna, by referring to West Indians as African Americans I meant that they are of African descent having been brought to the West Indies from Africa as slaves and now living in America. Of course there are cultural differences between the descendants of Africans brought to the states and those taken to the West Indies. Just as there are cultural differences between Blacks from the Sea Islands of SC and GA and those in New Orleans.
j m- if that was your idea of a real zinger or tearing me a new one, your standards are far too low. I’m done for the day thanks- places to go, people to see, things to do.
How about we just get past it and start new from here?
i was talking to bxgirl, xander. at least you come out and say it.
let me just pre-empt you.
“it must suck to go through life as a moron”
i don’t know, you tell me.
that one would have been a real zinger too. you are officially on my bad side. too bad i don’t usually have all day to sit around and post bullsh!t like you do. otherwise, i would tear you a new one every day. just like today.
My feelings, crushed. 🙁