Destruction in the Name of Progress: Durham’s Urban Removal

Abstract

Durham’s historic “Hayti” neighborhood was once referred to as a beacon of Black success in the South. The once thriving community filled with unique opportunities for black entrepreneurship today only exists in memory. Much like other cities at the time, this destruction —placement of a freeway running over the region— was due to the Urban Renewal campaign, but to what extent did the advertisement and planning of Durham's urban renewal set itself up for community-wide acceptance while also ensuring the preservation of the existing racial power dynamic? This paper explores the various elements that went into the appeal of urban renewal on differing racial demographics as well as the lack of forethought in the urban renewal plan proposed. Evidence and analysis from a variety of primary and secondary sources point to these methods as causes for the eventual physical and spiritual loss of the Hayti community. Findings about this initiative for urban change and how it ultimately afflicted a marginalized community contribute to the ever-evolving understanding of what goals should be prioritized when trying to foster growth in urban spaces.