Blackbottom

Based in Philadelphia, Blackbottom is a collaborative project which documents the struggle and displacement of communities by institutions and development, honors the memory of those who worked to stop gentrification and raises awareness of community empowerment methods for counteracting eminent domain and urban renewal issues.  

Since the beginning of time, man has had an insatiable desire to surround himself, family and community with those things that would enhance and improve the quality of life, for the individual, family and community.

Over time as populations increased and land, material and human resources decreased, there became a territorial imperative to move in search for new and improved surroundings to advance the impaired conditions that these humans faced.

In addition, as some cultures and humans clashed over perceived scarce resources. Some individuals and groups saw the opportunity to profit from the needs and struggles over land.

Since 1950 in Philadelphia, this process has emerged under the guise of urban, suburban and rural renewal, removal or development.

In some areas it is called gentrification, corporate, university or institutional expansion; all of which are government sponsored or supported.

The net effect is that over the last 50-60 years, thousands of American citizens have been displaced for “a better good” to serve “the larger community” or “state interest” and this has been done with little or no relief for the tens of thousands of people who were too powerless to prevent this calamity

Because of Dr. Walter Palmer’s fight against the University of Pennsylvania for expanding into his neighborhood, Black Bottom, he has been called upon by several community leaders and organizations to help them fight against institutional expansion (i.e. Temple University in North Philadelphia and Drexel University in Mantua West Philadelphia).

This led to a long history of Dr. Palmer helping to organize communities, churches, students and other stakeholders in collaboration, to fight against this egregious form of human displacement.

This website is a testament to Dr. Palmer’s work and can be used as an instrument against community displacement.