The Suburbs Have Become a Ponzi Scheme
A new book examines the depletion of resources in the suburbs by white families, leaving Black and Latino residents to bear the burden.
Unraveling America's Suburbs
In a book titled Disillusioned, journalist Benjamin Herold explores the unraveling of America's suburbs and reveals how thousands of families of color who sought their own American dreams in these communities were left to bear the consequences.
Herold focuses on five families that moved to suburbs outside Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh. Through his rich reporting, he delves into the schools in each of these communities, as they symbolize the promise of a better future for these families and their children.
The book sheds light on the disturbing trend of white families enjoying the prosperity of the suburbs, only to abandon them and leave the burden of repairing aging infrastructure and making up for lost tax revenues to the new residents.
The Fallout for Suburban Communities
One of the key factors uncovered by Herold is the impact of factory closures on the suburbs. As nearby factories, which formed the economic foundation of communities like Cicero, closed down, white families moved out, leaving behind distressed and struggling towns for others to deal with.
Cicero serves as an example, where Italian and Eastern European American families actively worked to prevent Black people from settling in the town. The town's history of racial exclusion is highlighted by an incident in 1951, when a Black family moving in was met with violence and inaction from the authorities.
This pattern of white flight and the subsequent burden placed on the shoulders of Black and Latino residents is a troubling reflection of the systemic inequalities ingrained in American society.
Education as a Symbol of Opportunity
In Disillusioned, Herold emphasizes the role of education in the suburban experience for families of color. The promise of better schools and opportunities for their children is what attracted many to these communities in the first place.
However, as Herold's research reveals, the reality often falls short of expectations. The book explores the challenges faced by these families when it comes to ensuring their children receive a quality education, including unequal access to resources and opportunities.
By examining the intersection of race, class, and education in the suburban landscape, Herold uncovers the complex web of disadvantages faced by marginalized communities.
