The Rise and Fall of Sugar Hill, Los Angeles

[@CityNerd]

This is SO good. Bravo, seriously

[@tedsteiner]

As a native Angeleno, these vids just make me sad

[@segregation_by_design3283]

Thank you very much!

[@franciscoacevedo3036]

​@@segregation_by_design3283@citynerd there's also Seneca village in NYC which was segregated out of existence

[@darcy_1]

@CityNerd If you haven’t already I recommend you suggest this video through a community post (or whatever it’s called) on your channel

[@angellacanfora]

My family has been based in the South Bay of LA since the 50s. Living in my grandparents old house here in Torrance for the last decade, it became obvious to me that the freeway creates a boundary line. It sickens me to learn this was done purposely. It’s going to take a while for me to fully digest this. Every Angeleno needs to see this vid!

[@lopezkriss]

There is a great story about how South Philly residents successfully stopped the creation of a highway along South St. through the neighborhood in the 70s. Alas, the Vine St. Expressway, which opened in 1991, bifurcated the Chinatown neighborhood.

[@teslashark]

Lived there for a while, right next to the park that's on the bridge. Wrecking both chinese and black neighborhoods at the compo price of one highway!

[@UzumakiNaruto_]

So if this expressway divided the Chinese community, did they get angry and decide to turn their area into a violent, crime ridden neighborhood? Or did they adapt and make lemonade out of lemons?

[@mariusfacktor3597]

Urban freeways are still segregation walls to this day. It's never too late to remove them.

[@TheHonestPeanut]

Yeah but that would make the world better in every possible way and we can't have that.

[@teslashark]

Philadelphia, one freeway destroys both black and chinese districts as a bulk deal

[@TheHonestPeanut]

@@teslashark Boston's big dig too. Black, Italian, Irish, Polish, etc. Just acres and acres of working class neighborhoods demolished and the city split.

[@ScarceCastle2]

Caveat: don't tear them down to then strengthen other walls. The I-45 realignment project in Houston will tear down an urban freeway separating Downtown from the now-gentrifiying west and southwest, but will demolish another block of the poorer east side, resulting in a highway box 2-3 blocks wide.

[@teslashark]

@@ScarceCastle2 Oh yeah, sometimes hostile parks are put on ghettos instead of replacing housing

[@ma11221]

The before and after pan is really compelling

[@itsdachief]

This video needs to be played in every high school class in Southern California. Excellent job!

[@robthetraveler1099]

Oh, but that would be "woke indoctrination" (read: facts the white right doesn't like). 😒🙄

[@thiccum2668]

You could just take out the “in southern california” right there

[@itsdachief]

@@thiccum2668 This kind of stuff is even more impactful if it tells a story about somewhere you think of as your home nowadays. Makes you think deeply about your surroundings instead of simply accepting it. I'm sure most cities in the US could make a great video like this one about one of their neighborhoods

[@thiccum2668]

@@itsdachief for real

[@TonyRogers-gp1fl]

Good thing it isn't. The author/creator cites no original sources and engages in classic circular reasoning.

[@nathang4682]

Makes me nauseous. Thanks for the video. Black people in this country have just been screwed over and over and over again from every direction, and then get blamed for being poor.

[@billyodamit8709]

Stop crying and get over it, everybody suffers.

[@micosstar]

i agree with you, @@billyodamit8709 , but in a different way; how i frame it is this: we should work on to fix injustice, not wallow in grief over it. - mico

[@qolspony]

Now it is the migrants. They would get what is owed to blacks.

[@JamilLynch]

​@@billyodamit8709Some more than others, you soulless ghoul.

[@estherepps6914]

nobody SUFFERED more than BLACK AMERICAs@@billyodamit8709

[@bunblue]

oh im soooo glad to have found youre also doing KZbin content. thank you for covering my hometown LA so fantastically. -a long time instagram follower

[@brickman409]

Wow, you know I often hear people say that the freeways destroyed and displaced communities but I never really understood what that truly meant until I saw it visualized in this video. Especially the sequence at 3:54 really puts it into perspective.

[@rowbehr8]

Thank you for sharing. You thought me so much today in this mini short video. I always enjoy looking at old footage of Los Angeles and hearing stories that most of Los Angeles have attempted to forget. Thank you again.

[@RipCityBassWorks]

We need a wider movement to remove urban freeways and reconnect neighborhoods. This would also help with the housing crisis as it would open up thousands of acres for affordable housing development.

[@kevinorgain]

Only if that housing give priority to Black residents. Otherwise it's just to give white folks trendy neighborhoods to live in...

[@Ilikefire2792]

The fact that they built it as a half sunken freeway too makes me puke the most, cause at least with an elevated freeway, it would've been still possible to keep the original road networks or at least easily rebuild them with development bellow them, to at least insure the neighborhood would remain somewhat connected together rather than create a unpassible "car filled moat".

[@jamesparson]

95% of urban movement is done by private vehicles. How do you propose addressing that?

[@TheHonestPeanut]

@@jamesparson there are literally endless possibilities. Bikes, busses, trains, ride shares, taxis, subsidized taxi's, horses, rickshaws. The most obvious is right under your nose. Also it's closer to 73%.

[@bonne_vie]

Yes its additionally depressing how the area around the freeway lost homes given the housing shortage.

[@patymac1336]

That bird's eye view from 4:00 onwards is so damning. Just an ugly scar cutting through the city. Fantastic work here, my hometown of Charlotte is no stranger to such freeway projects and the ramifications for our communities have been dire

[@Zach-h2l]

Man, I grew up around this area. Thanks for educating me a bit on my city. And thanks CityNerd for the recommedation

[@micosstar]

CityNerd recommended this vid. Nice! - mico

[@xandervk2371]

The same thing that happened to South Bronx, with the same result.

[@luisduran8549]

Which freeway split the neighborhood?

[@xandervk2371]

@@luisduran8549 Cross-Bronx Expressway.

[@bluesummers5051]

I lived in LA for 2 years and had never heard of Sugar Hill 😮

[@airdailyx]

it’s officially called West Adams. Sugar Hill is gone.

[@victorparker308]

2 years isn't very long in a huge place like L.A.

[@bluesummers5051]

@@victorparker308 It is when you’re homeless :D

[@victorparker308]

@@bluesummers5051 then it probably seemed like forever

[@lej_explains]

had no idea that usc was behind the final blow in trampling over sugar hill’s community - great vid!

[@TonyRogers-gp1fl]

Spoiler alert, USC had no role in the design or building of the 10.

[@stevenf5902]

@@TonyRogers-gp1flNope, they just funneled their power and money into making it easier to happen! 🤡

[@eltiochusma]

@@TonyRogers-gp1fl USC has NO INFLUENCE on the city and its development. You heard it here first all y'all!!!

[@aygwm]

I’m not surprised

[@AK-ih3hx]

Your maps are already amazing, now the background as well! I love it

[@majora025]

Great coverage! The city needs to acknowledge this history

[@airdailyx]

i was just driving through there last weekend google routed me through those neighborhoods because of traffic and I tend to forget just how beautiful the houses that are still remaining are.

[@Zinozad]

I learned about this from a NotJustBikes video. I had never really thought about segregation by design, it's just a powerful tool. Thanks for providing educative content.

[@mzbkNYC]

Brilliant video-- thanks for doing this important work to raise awareness. Absurd and shameful that in 2024 Nikki Haley has the audacity to claim that America "‘has never been a racist country" and sadly, she is far from being the only politician to present such a false narrative. Love how this project states the simple, ugly facts of institutionalized racism though real estate practices and "urban renewal," devoid of emotion or political bias. America has a lot of healing, reconciliation and reflection to do.

[@bigdaddy3621]

Kamala Harris said the same thing.

[@Dhi_Bee]

1:28 Wow, US racism knows no bounds, especially pre civil rights. Even the verbiage“Hebrew, Negro, colored, & Mongolian race” sounds very pseudoscience phrenology categorization from WWII ‘knot-seas’.

[@mfaizsyahmi]

Fun fact, the naughtsies take a lot of their ideas on race and the supposed superiority of one over the other from America.

[@sauceman5498]

Yep, even “caucasian” is a pseudoscience. There’s no “caucasian” race.

[@SCHMALLZZZ]

Meh, negro just means black and Asian isn't as descriptive as Mongolian when discussing east Asians. Because Indians, Turks, Persian and Israelis all fall under the broad term of Asian.

[@Alexrocksdude_]

Great video thank you for documenting this!

[@motherboomer]

Thank you! Keep educating people in this country that bans education.

[@claudermiller]

Same here in Cincinnati. They completely demolished the West End, causing black owned grocery stores, banks, barber shops, theaters, funeral homes etc. etc to close. It broke the community up, separated friends, families, congregations and organizations. Then, after they completely devastated the black community they had the gall to say "look at those people and their broken communities. Why can't they be like us?" White, European, Colonialist mentality.

[@claudermiller]

@@yosoysd5663 I'm discussing facts. You're simply telling everyone your prejudices. Go find some neo-nazi thread and join it.

[@UzumakiNaruto_]

So what stopped black people from moving their businesses to other parts of their neighborhood and rebuilding and reopening? That's what people do all the time when they have to move whether it be because of government infrastructure projects or because of rising rent/lease prices that they can no longer afford and so they move and reopen elsewhere.

[@claudermiller]

@UzumakiNaruto_ oh my, I didn't realize it would have been so simple. But since you're obviously such a simple person, I'm not going to waste my time explaining such a complicated concept to you.

[@UzumakiNaruto_]

@@claudermiller Sometimes it REALLY IS that simple. Someone just mentioned elsewhere in this comment section that one of Philadelphia's Chinese communities was partially torn down to build the Vine Street Expressway through their neighborhood back in the 1960s. Did the Chinese community there end up turning their area into a poor and dangerous place to go to? Or did they adapt and build a thriving community that tourists still travel and visit to this day? So if the Chinese people there could adapt to their community being partially torn down, why can't other people do the same?

[@bbartky]

@@UzumakiNaruto_🤦Did you even watch the video or did you just ignore the part where it showed how Black residents had to struggle just to live in the neighborhood? Once those those businesses were destroyed they would have been prevented from opening new businesses by racist covenants and by banking institutions that wouldn’t give them loans because they were Black.

[@ianhorvath5791]

It's kind of unbelievable, in a really bleak way, to realize that every major city in the US has at least one, if not many stories pretty similar to this

[@Aden_III]

It’s even more unbelievable when the majority of whites will blame blacks for their own downfall instead of acknowledging that no group can stand against the US government

[@yosoysd5663]

Make believe tales are entertaining for all children, that's why they have one for every city.

[@Aden_III]

@@yosoysd5663 I know a troll when I see one

[@WhathehadasSole]

@@yosoysd5663 make believe? Isn’t THIS video proof

[@brokentabs6225]

Great videos - you should do Mill Creek Valley in St. Louis next

[@bikenraider99]

TxDOT just did this to the Clayton Homes area to expand I59 in Houston

[@cf1885today]

lies

[@czarinalewis5330]

Correction: It's either I-69 or US 59, not I-59.

[@tonywalters7298]

Also seems a lot more homes and businesses were destroyed for parking lots

[@bonne_vie]

Yes very depressing

[@CubeApril]

Great video, would love to see the same thing but covering the Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul, MN.

[@Thedaleb1]

Than you for posting I knew nothing of this before I watched

[@buriedintime]

the automobile has been a disaster for the united states.

[@brigidanow]

The main characters in Apple TV’s Lessons in Chemistry live in Sugar Hill and the show covers this subject. I’m from LA and didn’t know about Sugar Hill.

[@tommihommi1]

let's not forget the destructive effect of the freeway noise on quality of life in the neighborhood

[@GalladeTheWarrior]

Oh man and this was before engine noise regulations

[@dmmartin6389]

This was brought up in the Lessons in Chemistry series wasn’t it? Also a request for the demolition of the Brooklyn neighborhood in Charlotte NC

[@EdwardMays-q3c]

So much political narrative revolves around erasure of racist history and that the phrase ‘systemic racism’ doesn’t exist in America this proves that it’s so interwound in our legal system and still exists in a lot of communities today. This was extremely enlightening and dare I say (in a complimentary way) WOKE!

[@ehoops31]

I’m looking forward to more LA content! I’m glad I found your channel.

[@ASJyirod]

Sugar Hill, Black Wall Street…always gotta tear it down.

[@vikmavrilabs.5254]

I have lived in the Western and Adam’s area my whole life!! This was a great video to learn about the past history of my good old hood

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

You should make a video on Mill Creek Valley here in StL sometime soon. Similar situation unfortunately

[@lemontadams3029]

I studied Urban Planning it is an overlooked discipline that has the potential to enhance life or destroy

[@mjg239]

I NEVER knew this. Thanks for sharing this story. Please share more stories like this about Black Los Angeles. It's fascinating. Along with the tragedy that was the erasure of Black-owned Bruce's Beach in Manhattan Beach (also seized by imminent domain), I also read about a neighborhood in Venice called Dogtown that was set aside for Black residents by the land developer of "Venice of America" Abbott Kenny (along the street where Abbot Kenny Boulevard is today) would be great to hear about that story too. Thanks!

[@E11NetworkNow]

You gotta do a video on the East LA interchange, the busiest interchange in the world, and how it made life for the Mexican Americans in the neighborhood difficult.

[@D_Cali_Life]

We had a 1890 Victorian Home in Bunker Hill Downtown Los Angeles. Unfortunately our ranch was illegal destroyed by the Orsini Apartment Developer in 2003-2004. When it’s in the best interest for the city, they take what they want by eminent domain. No matter the race , corruption will win .

[@ddhurry4168]

How to destroy generational wealth for pennies on the dollar

[@OJGamingYT]

Can't wait for you to do a video on Portland's i5, that one is really bad!

[@doodoohed]

Could you do a vid about the highways in east LA?

[@StillAnotherStudent]

Just made a video touching on another neighborhood the 10 destroyed and briefly glanced at Sugar Hill! Great to see other channels touching on the destruction LA's freeways caused and the racisim rooted in!

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

Bro u need a check??

[@StillAnotherStudent]

@@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999 ?

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

@@StillAnotherStudent a KZbin channel creator check?

[@StillAnotherStudent]

@@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999 nah

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

@@StillAnotherStudent ok lol

[@APaleDot]

Man, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" really was a non-fiction movie.

[@shlubbers1778]

So heart wrenching that my home city has such an awful history that most people don’t even know about

[@rdnylj]

Thank you so much for sharing this vital piece of history.

[@Albacore877]

Outstanding content!

[@RICOESTEBAN76]

I'm here because I watched Lessons in Chemistry TV series.

[@YourCapyFrenBigly_3DPipes1999]

Hopefully the future will result in many large lanes and freeways getting reclaimed for bikes, tramways, light rail, and pedestrian use. This would repair SOME of the racialized development over the years, though not all, and it will help everyone by making greener more accessible cities. This is what I hope we can start being focused on now.

[@epicsseven7686]

This happened in Detroit's Black neighborhood called, 'Black Bottom.' Boxer, Joe Louis lived there, before the lodge freeway destroyed the neighborhood

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

Wow. I don’t think a better case could be made for how these highways are destroying peoples lives

[@SuperMike1955]

Here in Lansing, Michigan a highway called I-496 was built in the early 1960’s and finished by 1970 or so. It was built through what was a predominantly black neighborhood. 600 houses were destroyed. I only found out about this recently from a video of the history published by a local station.

[@Purchaser.]

They should finish the 710 freeway too. Also the 105. Would make less traffic.

[@rondrake3720]

They moved in, they moved out and then they moved in and they moved out. Nothing is permanent in life not even life itself

[@Crypto_Circus]

These freeways all need to be capped

[@joaquinarellano1023]

6:55 does anyone know where he got this map?

[@adriennekennedy7172]

Wonderful information!!!!

[@darcy_1]

Amazing video!

[@jpg3702]

Wonderful video. Can you do a video on the Essex freeway in Essex County, New Jersey cutting through East Orange and other black communities?

[@OwenRULESSS]

That conclusion sentence was powerful

[@anniewilkes6011]

Thank you❤️

[@hdfjg]

videos like this make me more enlighten but its a bitter sweet moment at the end. you realize this still goes on. in every city you see who gets catered to the most. sadly us who are"poor" or live bad areas have so much going on just trying to live, we forget to stick up for ourselves by using the LAW. something wealthy ppl always throw in your face.

[@PineCreekCoins]

What a great video! SubsCribed!

[@bigdaddy3621]

And people act like racism was only in the South.

[@taylorallen1026]

Crazy that the effects of this can still be felt today. Happy black history month.

[@stuvius]

That complete annihilation from the freeway construction was heartbreaking to watch. I understand people were and are furious

[@pedrogsantamaria5271]

❤

[@runnerfromjupiter]

L.A.’s history is amazing 🤩

[@Horsefingerandthetaintwrights]

Dont forget the Japanese Americans and Caucasians that suffered from imminent domain crimes. We all bleed red. The government sucks the same when you are targeted. Power to the people.

[@thatpersonsmusic]

These videos are so well made but so painful to watch. We destroyed so many great neighborhoods, not to mention the immense impact on the resident’s lives

[@andiarrohnds5163]

Hi. What are Chicano Studies?

[@califdad4]

I looked up Hattie McDaniels house and its now across the street from the freeway, it's a nice big house

[@sondrajean955]

Chavez Ravine - Dodger Stadium

[@Robert-eg2oy]

The exact same thing happened here in Portland, Oregon.

[@fluuufffffy1514]

I wish i could turn the captions off... Am i missing something? Sadly distracting from an excellent video

[@EPMTUNES]

great video

[@BionicTapeworm]

Amazing video. Thank you for teaching the internet about this censored history.

[@davidnorene5594]

Was this an "infrastructure" project?

[@aygwm]

West Adams resident here. People forget that wealthy Blacks existed at some point in the USA…

[@TheOtherKine]

Really good stuff.

[@randalalansmith9883]

The most suprising thing about this story, is how clear the arial photos were in 1945.

[@leechjim8023]

Was the first ever rap group Sugar Hill Gang named after this?

[@abc123fhdi]

what about the 105 fwy in 1993 cut through the hood as well.

[@theeggreat4]

Imagine how much wealth could have been provided by those homes.

[@MrLukealbanese]

Jesus this is awful. Good video but just wow 😢

[@pray4ray666]

Thank you for illuminating the dark history of my city, LA, one of the most racist and divisive cities ever developed.

[@hko2006]

came from Nimesh in Los Angeles

[@iliveforyahawah]

Funny, I grew up there, and my family still there. Crazy, I never knew this.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

A shocking and visceral documentary. However, it was impossible for no one to "lose out". The freeways had to be built. Perhaps the biggest fault was that the city didn't plan for those freeways ahead enough. If you look at the freeways, they are pretty much straight shots from downtown. The 10 and 110 in particular. Can't get much straighter. Every city has freeways.

[@jeovaniee]

West Oakland and Cypress Freeway next!

[@SocratesHog]

As a Korean, from outer perspective, that's really fxxxed up.

[@robertolambert3155]

This is so sad 😢

[@dcreed05]

Vote YES on Healthy Streets LA

[@SABBSubmit]

WOW

[@hellooutthere8956]

Tht is so d*mn sh*tty to do that to those ppl just because they were blk. Won't talk abt wht all that implies but you can't wonder abt the crime now can you? It won't chg until amends have been made. Karma demands it.

[@migzz7976]

Imagine you are born already breaking the law because of the color of your skin. Think I’ll listen to some old skool ice cube on the way to work, maybe even throw in some EZ E.