Jessica Troiano, a graduating senior at Wagner College, used this slideshow in presenting her senior thesis.

1. Canarsie, Staten Island, and White-Flight Government and Politics Department Jessica Troiano

2. White Flight Jonathan Rieder: Canarsie: The Jews and Italians of Brooklyn against Liberalism White Flight: Occurs as a last resort answer to changing color lines in a residential area in which residents flee deteriorating standards of their neighborhoods.

3. The Russell Family Tim - my co-worker (father of the family) Linda – wife Lisa – daughter Mike – son-in-law Extreme nostalgia for old Canarsie * Pseudonyms were used as a condition of the interview

4. The term: “ghetto” Definition: A ghetto refers to an area that is densely populated predominantly by members of the minority group, often as a result of social or economic restrictions, pressures, or hardships.

5. Institutionalized Discrimination Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) A system of risk evaluation for the loaning of funds. Practice of redlining * Led to bureaucratized discrimination which leads to the creation of the ghetto.

6. Racial Steering Two-fold: Led to the perpetuation of the ghetto and increased white-flight. Specific Examples of Racial Steering in Canarsie: Did not advertise in the NY Times. Residents took to recruiting “acceptable/desirable” people to fill the vacancies in their neighborhoods.

7. Blockbusting Major cause of white flight. The methods realtors used to open up neighborhoods to African-American entry and reap the profits associated with white flight. Scare tactics: Houses advertized for $5.

8. Oppositional Culture A rejection of the mainstream society that has forced minority groups into the ghetto. Examples: The African-American vernacular Unwed teenage mothers

9. Sweeping Generalizations or Realities? The facts: In 2006, 71/262, or 27.6% of graduates of South Shore High School in Canarsie earned a Regents diploma while the state-wide average was 73.9%. In 2007, the South Shore High School in Canarsie was broken up into vocational schools. *Canarsie High School was closed in 2007 because it received an F on the progress report from NY State. Racial composition at the time of closing was 85% African-American, 12% Hispanic, and 2% Caucasian.

10. Crime Statistics October 17, 2009: A 71 year old man was shot and killed because the victim “looked’ at the attacker the wrong way. October 20, 2009: A gunman killed a 17 year old boy at 4pm. November 3, 2009: Three young African-American girls knocked down a 70 year old woman with a round of punches. *All data collected from spot-crime.

11. Favorable Neighborhood Racial Compositions For Caucasians: If a neighborhood was 50% African-American and 50% Caucasian… 84% would choose not to live in the neighborhood. 64% would try and leave. 72% said they would feel uncomfortable. For African-Americans: If a neighborhood was 50% African-American and 50% Caucasian… 87% that would be their ideal racial composition. Most are for integrated neighborhoods and do not want solely African-American or solely Caucasian neighborhoods.

12. Conclusions Persuaded by the interesting, and typically unheard, account of the Russell’s. White flight is a major issue involved in the perpetuation of the underclass in America’s ghettos; however this issue will not be solved until other issues surrounding the oppositional culture are solved first.