residential structures. 51 Mayor Hartsfield and Henry Robinson would appoint a 10- person committee to perform a study to implement slum clearance in Atlanta. The proposal would eventually follow the footsteps of Robert Moses who led the charge of urban renewal in New York City. 52 Hamilton Douglas served as the Chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Committee. After inspections were completed, 7,769 Black families were displaced (6,000 out of sub-standard housing in the Butler Street, Buttermilk Bottom and Washington-Rawson neighborhoods), or re-housed in in the Atlanta University area. 53 The three-prong strategy that was used to dismantle Rose Hill was used to raze neighborhoods during urban renewal. The same strategy is part of the modern gentrification of marginalized communities. First, disparage the area with reports of blight and crime. Next, displace the current residents into other areas. Finally, recast the community with a new name and story. The existing narratives of Buttermilk Bottom includes images of dilapidated, poorly constructed buildings built with low- quality materials. Buttermilk Bottom was a geographic location where Black people were “placed” due to racial segregation codes and land use policies which left the community bereft of conditions which allowed it to thrive. 54 The streets were left unpaved and difficult to navigate, and usually were full of uncollected trash as these community did not receive adequate city services. Homes lacked running water; families relied on a shared manual water pump outside. Without sewer services, residents had to use poorly maintained outhouses that poured into the streets even without heavy rains. 55 According to Cassandra Huff, the neighborhood was “a rundown shack of an area, a roach-and rat-infested area”. 56 Local newspapers reported Buttermilk Bottom and other Fourth Ward neighborhoods as "crime-ridden" which served to further isolate the neighborhood. Instead of focusing on crime or poverty; instead, highlighting another Black tradition of “making do”, where through the strong bonds and relationships, the community were able to support each other meeting shared needs. From 1915 to 1940s, the residents lived in groupings of kinfolk and had shared goals of achieving the ‘American Dream’. There were specific situations where residents shifted their focus to their material conditions. Flooding in these bottom land neighborhoods were deadly and destructive to the poorly maintained homes. Despite these challenges, the residents of Buttermilk Bottom remained resilient and focused on creating a sense of community and support for one another, striving for a better future amidst the adversity they faced.
51 “Hartsfield Signs Slum. Clearance Act”, Atlanta Daily World. 52 “Plans Slum Clearance Project in Atlanta”, Atlanta Daily World. 53 “Nearly 6,000 Families to Feel Slum Clearance Move”, Atlanta Daily World.
54 Huff, “Descendants”. 55 Huff, “Descendants”. 56 Huff, “Descendants”.
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