Rebellion, Gentrification, and Resistance in New Brunswick

Summary

In 1967, New Brunswick nearly erupted into rebellion due to racial tensions, with Black residents protesting inadequate housing and police brutality. While local leadership avoided violent conflict, the city’s history of systemic racism and gentrification persisted. Through the efforts of public-private partnerships like Devco, the city displaced Black and Latino communities to make room for upscale development. By 2024, despite the loss of many neighborhoods, community resistance, exemplified by the formation of NJ Burn, continues to fight displacement and racial injustice, echoing the demands of the 1967 rebellion.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 1967 civil unrest in New Brunswick was one of the key moments in the racial tensions that shaped American cities, as documented in the Kerner Report.
• 😀 The Kerner Report concluded that the nation was moving towards two separate and unequal societies—one Black, one White—driven by systemic racism.
• 😀 Although New Brunswick's 1967 unrest did not lead to deaths or the National Guard's involvement, it was still a significant rebellion focused on issues like housing, discrimination, and police brutality.
• 😀 The New Brunswick Rebellion was viewed as a model for peaceful resolution, with the city’s white mayor negotiating directly with the Black community, preventing further violence.
• 😀 Despite this initial peaceful resolution, New Brunswick's Black and Latino communities have faced systematic displacement and gentrification since 1967.
• 😀 The creation of Devco in the 1970s was a response to economic decline, but it also led to the displacement of working-class residents to attract businesses and affluent residents.
• 😀 Devco's gentrification efforts included demolishing public housing, like the Memorial Homes, and replacing them with luxury developments that catered to students and corporations.
• 😀 In the 1980s and 1990s, the city’s downtown was restructured, erasing the minority presence in favor of upscale commercial and residential spaces.
• 😀 The demolition of Memorial Homes in 2001 marked the final erasure of a significant part of the city’s Black and Latino working-class communities, despite promises for affordable housing.
• 😀 In 2024, the formation of NJ Burn, a community organization, reflects ongoing resistance against gentrification, with demands echoing the grievances of the 1967 rebellion, including affordable housing and youth recreation centers.

Q & A

What was the Kerner Report, and what did it highlight?

The Kerner Report, released in 1968 by the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, highlighted that the civil unrest of 1967 was driven by systemic racism. It warned that America was moving towards two separate societies: one black, one white, and that the black community faced inequality, which led to widespread disturbances.

Why was the New Brunswick rebellion of 1967 considered less significant compared to other riots of the same year?

The New Brunswick rebellion of 1967 was considered less significant because there were no fatalities, the National Guard was not called in, and there was minimal damage. It was largely used as a positive example of how tensions could be resolved peacefully compared to other cities like Detroit or Newark.

How did the mayor of New Brunswick help prevent further violence during the 1967 unrest?

The mayor of New Brunswick intervened by holding talks with protest leaders, listening to their grievances, and convincing them to end the protest. The mayor's engagement prevented the violence from escalating, which was a stark contrast to the responses in other cities.

What were the key grievances that led to the unrest in New Brunswick in 1967?

The key grievances included inadequate housing, discrimination in public life, police brutality, and the closure of a black recreational center. These issues drove the black youth of New Brunswick to take to the streets in protest.

How did the city of New Brunswick react to the 1967 rebellion after the protests ended?

After the rebellion, the city of New Brunswick turned to more covert methods of displacement, gradually pushing out black and Latina working-class residents from the city center, especially through urban development projects that favored wealthier and whiter demographics.

What was the role of Devco in New Brunswick’s urban development?

Devco, a public-private partnership, played a key role in the redevelopment of New Brunswick in the 1970s and 1980s. It sought to revitalize the downtown area by removing poor and minority neighborhoods to make space for more profitable businesses and real estate developments.

What was the impact of Devco’s actions on the local black and Latino communities in New Brunswick?

Devco’s urban development projects led to the displacement of many black and Latino residents, erasing longstanding working-class communities in favor of upscale developments that catered to students, businesses, and affluent residents. This contributed to the city’s ongoing racial and economic divides.

How did the demolition of the Memorial Homes affect New Brunswick’s black community?

The demolition of Memorial Homes in 2001 marked a pivotal moment for New Brunswick's black community. The residents were displaced with housing vouchers, but due to the city’s dominant student housing market, most could not afford to stay. This effectively removed a large portion of the city’s working-class black residents.

What modern resistance efforts are being made to combat gentrification in New Brunswick?

In 2024, the organization NJ Burn was formed to resist gentrification, particularly focusing on the development of the Helix Hub. NJ Burn has been advocating for affordable housing, the firing of abusive police officers, and the creation of a youth center, echoing the demands from the 1967 protests.

How does NJ Burn’s activism relate to the 1967 unrest in New Brunswick?

NJ Burn's activism reflects the ongoing struggles faced by New Brunswick’s black and Latino communities. The group’s demands, such as affordable housing and a youth center, mirror those of the 1967 rebellion. This continuity underscores the fact that the racial and economic inequalities highlighted in 1967 have not been fully addressed.