Oil and Vinegar in a segregated neighborhood
To live in Cuyler-Brownsville, an historically African American sector of Savannah’s inner city, is to be on the front lines of change. Because of the rapid influx of residential developers and gentrification, the neighborhood is starting to shed its marginal feel.
Most white folks barricade themselves inside their homes or duck inside their vehicles before hightailing away. Some say, “good morning”, when they must, but otherwise seem content to remain ghosts; rarely venturing beyond the sanctity of their own driveways.
Many are new to the area, while others have lived here for years. They are a mix of homeowners and renters and represent a variety of backgrounds. What’s more, their increasing presence is a siren’s call to would-be investors, students, and even short-term tourists.
Yet for those of us who call Cuyler-Brownsville home, spotting a white person strolling across MLK Boulevard for a cold drink is about as rare as glimpsing an American eagle. Ditto for Chu’s Market, situated across those stately housing complexes on Montgomery and Henry. For white residents there, Chu’s is the DMZ. I, on the other hand, pop in almost daily.
I’m not painting all my Caucasian neighbors as racist. It could simply be a case of oil and vinegar refusing to mix. After all, race, class, and culture can be a toxic brew. And let’s be real— living in “the hood” takes guts, period. As for the root causes of this self-imposed segregation, I’ll leave that to the academics and armchair sociologists. But as a local, it’s hard not to feel a tinge of sadness over the growing divide in Cuyler-Brownsville; one that gets wider with each passing day.
Darrell Gartrell
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