Pardon us if affordablehousingaction.org has displayed a particular fascination with the U.S. National Public Housing Museum.
Public Housing in America was born to fail. Not of course in its earliest iterations during the 1930’s Great Depression. In its beginnings, idealism painted the term ‘social’ to imply ‘worker.’ The intent was to create housing suitable for a lifetime of occupancy by modestly well-off Americans.
But ‘workers’ in thriving America were enticed by something more than public housing. That growing national institution remained a way-station to a finer future for some. But most definitely it functioned as a budget-strapped place for those whose opportunities offered no recourse beyond what was grudgingly permitted for permanent occupancy in social housing.
Given what we know and understand about social interactions today, the evolution of social housing ‘communities’ was hardly surprising. Unexpected perhaps, when viewed from the the ever-evolving bitterness by the general population towards the ‘criminal freeloaders,’ who were painted as much for the sin of poverty, as for occupying social housing.
Social housing tenants generally ignored the anti-social outrage at their continuing existence. As societies living in close proximity tend to, they got on with enriching their lives by active involvement with their neighbours.
Flourishing upon a foundation of mutual respect, social housing communities evolved with such spirit and ingenuity that the cultures they created are indeed worthy of a national museum. And that in turn brings us to an introduction to the National Public Housing Museum’s latest ‘Artist as Instigator.’
ShaDawn “Boobie” Battle is professor of Critical Ethnic and Black Studies at Xavier University. In the following interview she shares the details of her own youth, and that of many others, practising a form of dance little known outside of what was once Chicago’s largest collection of social housing on one site in America.
If you haven’t come across footwork, here’s a footwork battle to give you an idea of a lively glimpse of the dance, which was posted on YouTube: Chicago Footwork Battle
Read more, and listen to an interview with Professor Battle, at WBEZ CHICAGO: What Chicago footwork can teach us about public housing communities
