UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pagei Living Black UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pageii blank UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pageiii Living Black Social Life in an African American Neighborhood Mark S. Fleisher The University of Wisconsin Press UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pageiv The University of Wisconsin Press 1930 Monroe Street, 3rd Floor Madison, Wisconsin 53711-2059 uwpress.wisc.edu 3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden London WC2E 8LU, United Kingdom eurospanbookstore.com Copyright © 2015 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System All rights reserved. Except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles and reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any format or by any means—digital, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise— or conveyed via the Internet or a website without written permission of the University of Wisconsin Press. Rights inquiries should be directed to UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pagev To the memory of Professor Irving Spergel. Irv’s kindness, patience, and thoughtfulness enriched the years we worked together. I miss his laughter and smile. UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pagevi blank UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pagevii Contents Acknowledgments ix Prologue 3 1. The Ethnographer and the Ex-Convict 7 2. Culture and Social Life 22 3. Lively Streets 33 4. Everyday Life 51 5. New Neighbors 67 vi UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pageviii viii 2 Contents 6. Dreams and Realities 85 7. Rebirth Days 104 8. They Don’t Need a Savior 124 Epilogue 129 Notes 135 References 155 UWP: Fleisher: Living Black pageix Acknowledgments Living Black expresses the cultural vibrancy and resilience of a black community known as the north end among folks in Champaign, Illinois. Personal lives and challenges faced by north end residents are repre- sented and expressed through the lives of the Washington family and a man who calls himself Burpee. In opening up their homes and permit- ting me to sit in their living rooms and share their meals, they and many of my other north end friends allowed me to witness the struggles, re- wards, and joys of their lives. Their generosity over many years has made possible this ethnographic depiction of the north end that counters ra- cial stereotypes of life in a poor black community and documents the enduring symbiotic relationship between the residents of the north end and the largely white community and local police departments. This book relies upon ethnographic data gathered in good faith, with the consent of the individuals under observation, and with as much accuracy as possible. Some personal details, place names, and distinctive details of events in this book’s text were altered for the protection and preservation of the rights of the individuals. In no case did I intentionally slander or in any way injure the repute of individuals, private entities, or government agencies. I presented my own observations and my own analysis. Opinions expressed in this book do not represent the offcial ix one t line shor