A group of Black citizens is attempting to save one of New York‘s storied neighborhoods once again.
The New York Interfaith Commission for Housing Equality put out flyers for a community meeting on Nov. 30 to prevent private developers and Columbia University from displacing thousands of Harlem residents.
“We must stop them!” The flyer reads. “Come to a community meeting to learn about these evil plans and what we can do together to stop them and save our homes!”
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Church, which is located at 201 Malcolm X Blvd. Brooklyn attorney Leah Goodridge posted on social media how a Virginia lawmaker has proposed an in-depth study of universities taking over Black neighborhoods and destroying them. The proposal also recommends that displaced families to get reparations.
A ProPublica investigation revealed The University of Pennslyvania forced out almost 600 families from a Black neighborhood to make room for a science center. The University of Georgia took out Linnentown, a Black community to make space for new dorms and parking. The University of Oklahoma took an area of more than 650 Black families in Oklahoma City for a medical center. In Virginia, cities bought Black properties to expand public campuses in Norfolk, Charlottesville and Newport News.
