IN THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES Elizabeth Abrams
In 1940s and 1950s my community in North Central Philly did not differ much from the communities of West Philly’s Mantua or Kingsessing in Southwest Philly. Targeted areas by local media as the Badlands. It was designed by the political powers that sections of Philadelphia would evolve from community to neighborhood to its final destination of Ghetto or the “Hood.” My people of the aforementioned communities were destined to be the tools, labor, and subjects of all types of prolific programs, for us, the unemployed, welfare recipients and social service subjects for all types of government so-called empowerment, and renewal programs—financed by the powers. A child of the 1940s and 1950s could enjoy the joys of a twoparent home—a street in North Philly and an address North 19th Street, who personally knew and who were also neighbors to Black nurses and doctors, Black dentists, Black pharmacists, Black funeral directors, Black butchers, Black teachers, Black insurance companies, Black banks, Black vocational schools, Black realtors, Black architects, Black plumbers, carpenters, Black seamstresses, and tailors, and dry cleaners—we all lived together and utilized and supported their businesses and they could ply their trade with great success. And as I, a child at the age of five, knew most of these grand people by name, all adults wore titles: Mr., Miss, Mrs.,—Aunt, Uncle, Grandmom, Grandpop. Never! called an adult by the first name. Not even a bum on the street—and there were not many of those. 323
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