The Folklore of the Freeway: Race and Revolt in the Modernist City (A Quadrant Book)

How urban minority communities devastated by the construction of the interstate highway reclaimed their place through cultural expression When the interstate highway program connected America’s cities, it also divided them, cutting through and destroying countless communities. Affluent and predominantly white residents fought back in a much heralded “freeway revolt,” saving such historic neighborhoods as Greenwich Village and New Orleans’s French Quarter. This book tells of the other revolt, a movement of creative opposition, commemoration, and preservation staged on behalf of the mostly minority urban neighborhoods that lacked the political and economic power to resist the onslaught of highway construction. Within the context of the larger historical forces of the 1960s and 1970s, Eric Avila maps the creative strategies devised by urban communities to document and protest the damage that highways wrought. The works of Chicanas and other women of color—from the commemorative poetry of Patricia Preciado Martin and Lorna Dee Cervantes to the fiction of Helena Maria Viramontes to the underpass murals of Judy Baca—expose highway construction as not only a racist but also a sexist enterprise. In colorful paintings, East Los Angeles artists such as David Botello, Carlos Almaraz, and Frank Romero satirize, criticize, and aestheticize the structure of the freeway. Local artists paint murals on the concrete piers of a highway interchange in San Diego’s Chicano Park. The Rondo Days Festival in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Black Archives, History, and Research Foundation in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami preserve and celebrate the memories of historic African American communities lost to the freeway. Bringing such efforts to the fore in the story of the freeway revolt, The Folklore of the Freeway moves beyond a simplistic narrative of victimization to explore a dynamic relationship between structure and culture, between the physical fact of the freeway and its refraction through the prisms of identity, language, and place. Losers, perhaps, in their fight against the freeway, the diverse communities at the center of the book nonetheless generate powerful cultural forces that shape our understanding of the urban landscape and influence the shifting priorities of contemporary urban policy. When The Interstate Highway Program Connected America's Cities, It Also Divided Them, Cutting Through And Destroying Countless Communities. Affluent And Predominantly White Residents Fought Back In A Much Heralded Freeway Revolt, Saving Such Historic Neighborhoods As Greenwich Village And New Orleans's French Quarter. This Book Tells Of The Other Revolt, A Movement Of Creative Opposition, Commemoration, And Preservation Staged On Behalf Of The Mostly Minority Urban Neighborhoods That Lacked The Political And Economic Power To Resist The Onslaught Of Highway Construction.within The Context Of The Larger Historical Forces Of The 1960s And 1970s, Eric Avila Maps The Creative Strategies Devised By Urban Communities To Document And Protest The Damage That Highways Wrought.^ The Works Of Chicanas And Other Women Of Color--from The Commemorative Poetry Of Patricia Preciado Martin And Lorna Dee Cervantes To The Fiction Of Helena Maria Viramontes To The Underpass Murals Of Judy Baca--expose Highway Construction As Not Only A Racist But Also A Sexist Enterprise. In Colorful Paintings, East Los Angeles Artists Such As David Botello, Carlos Almaraz, And Frank Romero Satirize, Criticize, And Aestheticize The Structure Of The Freeway. Local Artists Paint Murals On The Concrete Piers Of A Highway Interchange In San Diego's Chicano Park. The Rondo Days Festival In St. Paul, Minnesota, And The Black Archives, History, And Research Foundation In The Overtown Neighborhood Of Miami Preserve And Celebrate The Memories Of Historic African American Communities Lost To The Freeway.bringing Such Efforts To The Fore In The Story Of The Freeway Revolt, The Folklore Of The Freeway Moves Beyond A Simplistic Narrative Of Victimization.^ Losers, Perhaps, In Their Fight Against The Freeway, The Diverse Communities At The Center Of The Book Nonetheless Generate Powerful Cultural Forces That Shape Our Understanding Of The Urban Landscape And Influence The Shifting Priorities Of Contemporary Urban Policy. -- Machine Generated Contents Note: -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction: The Invisible Freeway Revolt -- 1. The Master's Plan: The Rise And Fall Of The Modernist City -- 2. Nobody But A Bunch Of Mothers: Fighting The Highwaymen During Feminism's Second Wave -- 3. Communities Lost And Found: The Politics Of Historical Memory -- 4. A Matter Of Perspective: The Racial Politics Of Seeing The Freeway -- 5. Taking Back The Freeway: Strategies Of Adaptation And Improvisation -- Conclusion: Identity Politics In Post-interstate America -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index. Eric Avila. A Quadrant Book Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "When the interstate highway program connected America's cities, it also divided them, cutting through and destroying countless communities. Affluent and predominantly white residents fought back in a much heralded "freeway revolt," saving such historic neighborhoods as Greenwich Village and New Orleans's French Quarter. This book tells of the other revolt, a movement of creative opposition, commemoration, and preservation staged on behalf of the mostly minority urban neighborhoods that lacked the political and economic power to resist the onslaught of highway construction. Within the context of the larger historical forces of the 1960s and 1970s, Eric Avila maps the creative strategies devised by urban communities to document and protest the damage that highways wrought. The works of Chicanas and other women of color--from the commemorative poetry of Patricia Preciado Martin and Lorna Dee Cervantes to the fiction of Helena Maria Viramontes to the underpass murals of Judy Baca--expose highway construction as not only a racist but also a sexist enterprise. In colorful paintings, East Los Angeles artists such as David Botello, Carlos Almaraz, and Frank Romero satirize, criticize, and aestheticize the structure of the freeway. Local artists paint murals on the concrete piers of a highway interchange in San Diego's Chicano Park. The Rondo Days Festival in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Black Archives, History, and Research Foundation in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami preserve and celebrate the memories of historic African American communities lost to the freeway. Bringing such efforts to the fore in the story of the freeway revolt, The Folklore of the Freeway moves beyond a simplistic narrative of victimization. Losers, perhaps, in their fight against the freeway, the diverse communities at the center of the book nonetheless generate powerful cultural forces that shape our understanding of the urban landscape and influence the shifting priorities of contemporary urban policy."-- Provided by publisher "When the interstate highway program connected America's cities, it also divided them, cutting through and destroying countless communities. Within the context of the larger historical forces of the 1960s and 1970s, Eric Avila maps the creative strategies devised by urban communities to document and protest the damage that highways wrought. Bringing such efforts to the fore in the story of the freeway revolt, The Folklore of the Freeway moves beyond a simplistic narrative of victimization to explore a dynamic relationship between structure and culture, between the physical fact of the freeway and its refraction through the prisms of identity, language, and place. Losers, perhaps, in their fight against the freeway, the diverse communities at the center of the book nonetheless generate powerful cultural forces that shape our understanding of the urban landscape and influence the shifting priorities of contemporary urban policy."--Cover. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Introduction: The Invisible Freeway Revolt......Page 14 1. The Master’s Plan: The Rise and Fall of the Modernist City......Page 30 2. “Nobody but a Bunch of Mothers”: Fighting the Highwaymen during Feminism’s Second Wave......Page 66 3. Communities Lost and Found: The Politics of Historical Memory......Page 102 4. A Matter of Perspective: The Racial Politics of Seeing the Freeway......Page 132 5. Taking Back the Freeway: Strategies of Adaptation and Improvisation......Page 162 Conclusion: Identity Politics in Post-Interstate America......Page 194 Acknowledgments......Page 208 Notes......Page 212 B......Page 236 F......Page 237 I......Page 238 N......Page 239 S......Page 240 Z......Page 241