In Pittsburgh, on the border

by BillG on October 31, 2004

I drove from Columbus to Pittsburgh yesterday. For non-US readers: Pittsburgh is the major city in western Pennsylvania (PA). Kerry probably needs PA to win, and he must do well in Pittsburgh to carry PA.

We used to live right on the border between the largely Jewish Point Breeze neighborhood and Homewood, the African-American neighborhood that John Edgar Wideman writes about. I mean literally on the border: every family south of us was white, and my next door neighbor and most other families to the north were black. A terrific place to live. I once saw August Wilson walking down the street. Our neighbor Sarah is Henry Aaron’s sister-in-law, and my son played chess with him when he visited. Well-kept secret: there are American cities where blacks and whites get along just fine.

Anyway, John Kerry signs are dense on both sides of the border. No surprise: If he can’t carry the East End of Pittsburgh, I want my contributions refunded. However, when you cross in to Homewood, there are suddenly multiple signs on each block saying “Protect your vote. If you have a problem, call {number redacted}.” People are ready.

{ 4 comments }

1

a 11.01.04 at 6:24 am

I’m sorry, but with a family home in Point Breeze, I have to differ with your description. Squirrel Hill is the primarily Jewish neighborhood. Point Breeze often gets lost on maps, between SH and Homewood. The local routes are all Homewood routes, and the white paperboys from SH refuse to deliver before sunup (Pittsburgh being solidly Democratic, but reactionarily conservative on a social level). Having muddied the geopolitical waters, I’ll leave.

2

Matt Weiner 11.01.04 at 2:34 pm

I’d confirm a’s implication that race relations in Pittsburgh are not always stellar, but Pittsburgh isn’t quite reactionary on a social level–it does have a gay rights law. Though that’s not what he means by social.

3

Cryptic Ned 11.01.04 at 3:04 pm

I must say that after living in the East End of Pittsburgh for five years I have no impressions, connotations, stereotypes or associations with Point Breeze, either positively, negatively, or directed in the direction of any particular race. This makes it different from any other neighborhood between the Allegheny and Monongahela. It has a very fancy art museum/playhouse, and an organic food co-op, and an extremely large, mostly black elementary school named after a Jewish lady. That’s all I know about it.

4

Cryptic Ned 11.01.04 at 3:05 pm

I must say that after living in the East End of Pittsburgh for five years I have no impressions, connotations, stereotypes or associations with Point Breeze, either positively, negatively, or directed in the direction of any particular race. This makes it different from any other neighborhood between the Allegheny and Monongahela. It has a very fancy art museum/playhouse, and an organic food co-op, and an extremely large, mostly black elementary school named after a Jewish lady. That’s all I know about it.

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