Although the title of this little miniseries (or mini blog) is centered on a specific geographical location, called Harlem, it is only a sign of what is or will come soon (if not already) to other urban areas throughout America. So if they are not taken over your city now through gentrification they might be after you read this blog.
A key word in the title of this blog is "conspiracy "What is a conspiracy? [Note: there are several other different classes or kinds of conspiracy. Civil conspiracy, criminal conspiracy and political conspiracy] "an evil or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons "according to etymology (the origins, history and meaning of words) the history and meaning of the word "surreptitious" is as follows: it is from the mid 15 century from Latin "sur-rep-ti-cius" meaning stolen (or to steal) furtive (means theft, robbery) or clandestine. From "sur-rep-tus" – "sur-ri-pere" to seize secretly. From sub- (meaning from under)+rapere "to snatch"
So has there ever been any known conspiracies to steal, snatch or/and seize a people, place or thing? Or/and to exclude certain people from certain activities? Well funny as it may seem 400+ years ago black people were stolen, snatched and seized and dispersed throughout the western hemisphere by a certain people. The so called Native Americans had their land snatched, stolen and seized by a certain people. In South Africa the Africans had their land snatched, stolen and seized from them by a certain group of people. And today it appears that Harlem is about to be snatched, stolen and seized from black people by a certain group of people. This particular certain group of people seems to have one thing in common they all classify themselves as either white, European or Caucasian. (By no means is this a sweeping indictment of all white, European or Caucasian people)
The purpose of this writer illustrating the said above is kill any rhetoric that this writer is a conspiracy theorist or/and paranoid. This writer is a real-ist that deals with the harsh realities of what is. It has always been stated that history best qualifies to reward our re-search. Why? Because today is built off of yesterday and tomorrow is built off today. Meaning, if we know what happened yesterday, then we can intelligently analyze, discuss and assess it today and not let the same thing go down today that went down yesterday. So therefore, if white, European or Caucasians have a history of snatching, stealing or/and seizing other peoples land (and other things) in an evil manner, then I have a right to be suspicious about what is going on in Harlem today.
So what is the process that is being used today to remove black people from their Mecca? It is called "Gentrification". What is Gentrification? It refers to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire property in low income and working class communities.
Urban gentrification causes the average income to increase (for some). It is commonly believed (or known) that this results in the poorer native residents of the neighborhood, being unable to pay increased rents, house prices, and property taxes, being displaced. Taxes paid to the city go up. Often old industrial buildings are converted to residences and shops. In addition, new businesses, catering to a more affluent base of consumers, move in, further increasing the appeal to more affluent migrants and decreasing the accessibility to the poor.
Urban gentrification occasionally changes the culturally heterogeneous character of a community to a more economically homogeneous community that some describe as having a suburban character. This process is sometimes made feasible by government-sponsored private real estate investment. (The latter part is highlighted in bold to bring attention to a question that was raised in part one. Which was, who is at fault for Harlem not being owned and controlled by the blacks that reside in Harlem) that question will be partly answered in part four (4) when we look at redlining. Part three (3) will explore the origins of Harlem going back to 1637.
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