Urban Renewal in Easton, PA: Book Talk with Professor Andrea L. Smith

The destruction of vibrant and well-loved neighborhoods by urban renewal was a national event not confined to larger cities like Boston. Join the West End Museum as we host anthropologist Professor Andrea Smith of Lafayette College as she discusses her book on urban renewal’s effect on one mid-sized Pennsylvania city and the long lasting impacts felt by those displaced in its wake.

Learn the story of a multi-ethnic neighborhood called “Syrian Town” in Easton, Pennsylvania. Targeted for its residents’ relative poverty, racial and ethnic makeup, and central location, the diverse neighborhood along Easton’s river was demolished to clear “blight”. Professor Smith listened in as former neighbors reunited in schools and church basements to reconstruct the collective memories of displaced residents. In this talk based on her book Rebuilding Shattered Worlds, Professor Smith will discuss the process of urban renewal and the motivations that led to dozens of leveled blocks in Easton and beyond.

Books will be available for purchase at the event.

This program was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.