We need a grocery store in downtown Pittsburgh!

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Geeo

WQED produced a great documentary years ago called "Wylie Avenue Days" about the Hill District before its destruction for the Civic Arena. Not sure if it's on DVD, but they still occasionally air it. It was at one time called the "Crossroads of the World" for its vibrancy.

I still have the VHS tape. You can get it on DVD as well.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by Geeo

WQED produced a great documentary years ago called "Wylie Avenue Days" about the Hill District before its destruction for the Civic Arena. Not sure if it's on DVD, but they still occasionally air it. It was at one time called the "Crossroads of the World" for its vibrancy.

You can get it on DVD from WQED: Shop WQED - Detail1 - PGH - WYLIE DVD - Wylie Avenue Days DVD - All Things Pittsburgh - History - Shop WQED

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

One mans dump is another mans treasure. The lower Hill District was a vibrant cultural mecca for black Pittsburgh. Carson and Butler streets were dumps as well. The lower Hill was older but was a vibrant community. What replaced the cultural mecca of black Pittsburgh was an arena that rarely catered to black culture. The lower Hill was open and vibrant seven days a week. The arena was open for business a few times per month if that. I would not call the arena an improvement. If that was the case we would not be here today correcting past mistakes. Urban renewal was nicknamed negro removal for a reason.

A quick look here says it all. The first photo can be Larimer or Lower Hazelwood today.

The first comment spoke of an Italian family that lost their church.

I know - that is not as spicy and satisfying to some as the thought that blacks only were forced from the "cultural mecca" of black Pittsburgh, but it seems the real truth has morphed into some narrative that reinforces that 1960s Pittsburgh city leaders wanted nothing more than remove the black people.

I believe Sophie Masloff (Jew) was from there. Recently, a notable teacher/actor/singer/activist loved by many (Eugene Kail, arabic) passed - he was from there.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

A quick look here says it all. The first photo can be Larimer or Lower Hazelwood today.

The first comment spoke of an Italian family that lost their church.

I know - that is not as spicy and satisfying to some as the thought that blacks only were forced from the "cultural mecca" of black Pittsburgh, but it seems the real truth has morphed into some narrative that reinforces that 1960s Pittsburgh city leaders wanted nothing more than remove the black people.

I believe Sophie Masloff (Jew) was from there. Recently, a notable teacher/actor/singer/activist loved by many (Eugene Kail, arabic) passed - he was from there.

White revisionist history huh? Alternative facts? Or just some player hating made up BS? The Hill district was the first diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh. No need to create a "narrative". It was not 1960's Pittsburgh as much as post WW2 Pittsburgh. Both of my in laws were born and raised on the Hill. The Hill was not 100% black but it was no doubt chocolate city by american standards. There were Jews, Italians, Syrians an many other recent immigrant groups. This does not diminish the black cultural influence of the Hill District. Teenie Harris captured the hood like no other. The stories that my older family members and in laws told were not fabrications. Catching the street car to the Hill for dinner and working your way up Wylie Ave. Club hopping until the early morning and catching the first trains back home was common. Not to mention the art and culture cultivated in that tiny densely populated area.

http://teenie.cmoa.org/

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

A quick look here says it all. The first photo can be Larimer or Lower Hazelwood today.

The first comment spoke of an Italian family that lost their church.

I know - that is not as spicy and satisfying to some as the thought that blacks only were forced from the "cultural mecca" of black Pittsburgh, but it seems the real truth has morphed into some narrative that reinforces that 1960s Pittsburgh city leaders wanted nothing more than remove the black people.

I believe Sophie Masloff (Jew) was from there. Recently, a notable teacher/actor/singer/activist loved by many (Eugene Kail, arabic) passed - he was from there.

OH! and they wanted nothing more than to remove the black people. They needed a clean slate for the "white" cultural district. The Civic arena was the first piece of the puzzle for the cultural destination master plan. Protests and the Martin Luther King riots put an end to the expansion. White folk have been afraid of the Hill ever since. That is why we have Freedom Corner on Centre at Crawford Street.

This same scenario was repeated throughout the US during that time and the federal government helped sponsor it.

[szug-bot]

sorry - forgot to post the link my prev. comment was referring to:

https://heinzhistorycenter.wordpress...e-civic-arena/

[DaisyDaisy]

Yes I hope there will be a grocery store downtown, in addition to the one that is on Centre in the Hill. I thought the East End Co-op had considered at one point. In the meantime, glad there's the farmers markets during the spring and summer seasons.