This month two oral historians, Amaka Okechukwu (Weeksville Heritage Center) and Zaheer Ali (Brooklyn Historical Society), come on to tackle the relevance of race in Central Brooklyn. First by examining the impact of the Crown Heights “Riots.” Then we ask, are there dimensions that get missed by identifying Central Brooklyn neighborhoods, as black?
Segment 1: Crown Heights 1991: Does the past matter?
As we gear up to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Crown Heights “riots,” we discuss the neighborhood conditions that lead to what happened in 1991, and the impact those events still have on Central Brooklyn residents today.
Segment 2: Do we miss something by calling Central Brooklyn, Black Brooklyn?
We use “black” to describe Central Brooklyn, but is there something overly reductive happening when we do this? Are we missing the rich dimensions of the way people really truly identify themselves, interact with each other, and identify their neighborhood?
Segment 3: “Tell ‘Em Why You Mad” Roundup