Abstract

Suburbanization and segregation are intertwined processes that continue to shape American landscapes in profound ways. This research sheds light on both processes in the context of a community-oriented archaeology project based in the Village of Maywood, Illinois. Suburban communities began developing around major U.S. cities, like Chicago, at the turn of the twentieth century. These communities were envisioned and marketed as idyllic spaces free from the dangers and stresses of urban living. In practice, most were majority-white neighborhoods where segregationist policies were implemented and strictly enforced. The Village of Maywood, one such example, was established as an all-white suburban enclave. However, in the mid-1880s, the village established a 4 × 5 block restricted zone where African American and Jewish residents could rent and buy property. Efforts to control where certain minority populations lived within the Village of Maywood closely mirrored urban Chicago's efforts to spatially confine and restrict the residential options of African American and Jewish groups. Archival and archaeological research focused on a residence within the village's restricted zone to explore the impacts exclusion and marginalization had on households within these contested spaces. Fieldwork and outreach were organized to amplify the work being done by community stakeholders to preserve the Village of Maywood's unique history and legacy.

You do not currently have access to this content.