Advisory Committee Chair
Colin Davis
Advisory Committee Members
Jordan Bauer
Pamela King
John Van Sant
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2016
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts (MA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION: SLUM CLEARANCE AND URBAN RENEWAL IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, 1950-1960 MICHAEL D. BARRETT HISTORY ABSTRACT In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. referred to Birmingham, Alabama as the “Most segregated city in America.” The city’s history of racial subjugation and conflict certainly validates King’s statement. Yet should Birmingham stand alone when it comes to racial segregation through the auspices of federal housing programs? The Housing Act of 1949 provided federal funds for slum clearance and urban renewal projects in city centers. Title I of the Act gave local housing agencies authority to determine the areas for redevelopment. Many cities across the country took advantage of While acknowledging the racial discord in Birmingham and the violent actions of local authorities to maintain segregation, this thesis contends that racial segregation through federal slum clearance, urban renewal, and public housing programs existed equally in both southern and northern cities during the period from 1950 to 1970. Focusing strictly on how city leaders and public housing officials conducted the process of site selection, provided homes for displaced persons, and their questionable actions on receiving funding, clearly demonstrates that Birmingham no more deserved the title of “most segregated city” than any other city.
Recommended Citation
Barrett, Michael, "Racial Segregation: Slum Clearance and Urban Renewal in Birmingham, Alabama, 1950-1960" (2016). All ETDs from UAB. 1113.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/1113