Past Central Avenue: Racial Disparities in Housing in Unincorporated Greenburgh

Authors: Zaara Khan, Abigail Keller, Nico Bernades, Sophie Jost

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Wendy Wall

Abstract: Central Avenue in unincorporated Greenburgh in Westchester County, NY, separates two starkly different neighborhoods just minutes away from each other. While Edgemont has historically been a wealthy, mainly white, suburb, Fairview has remained severely underdeveloped and primarily houses lower-income Black families. This research project focuses on the historical factors that have shaped their racial landscapes, including racially restrictive covenants, zoning laws, and urban renewal policies. By utilizing historic newspaper archives and census data from 1920-1950, this research aims to track the processes that built these contrasting environments and generational wealth cycles. The resulting website uses interactive maps and snippets from oral history interviews to highlight the effects of segregation and help analyze public sentiment on integration. This project seeks to educate policymakers and residents of unincorporated Greenburgh, propelling public sentiment that will encourage diverse initiatives to address this divide.