Exit 3A: Did One Mile of Interstate 95 Destroy Overtown? by Seth Furman

Exit 3A: Did One Mile of Interstate 95 Destroy Overtown?

In 1956, the community of Overtown in downtown Miami was changed forever. The racial war between Caucasians and African-Americans reached its climax when the decision was approved to construct Interstate 95 right through the prominent Black neighborhood. Now, over 56 years later, the effect of that decision is still evident today.

The controversial construction of I-95 has been researched before by other people, however, they never looked into the impact that it had all the way up to the present day. In this project, resources will be gathered from the 1950s with the construction of the highway all the way up until the 2000s to see if the impact of the highway was the main reason behind Overtown’s fall. If other reasons behind Overtown’s fall is discovered, that will be argued against I-95 to see which one was more detrimental. This essay will be directed toward novices of the history of the city of Miami. Thus, background information regarding Overtown and the development of I-95 through the town will be discussed.

Throughout the course of this class, we have discussed how racial barriers divided the city of Miami to this very day. The construction of I-95 is one of the prime examples of how a city was divided between races and how the dominance of the Caucasians led to the eventual collapse of historic Overtown. Not only that, but the I-95/I-395 interchange represents how four divisions exist in the city physically. I-95 is only one example of many that split up the city. Research papers, books, and other materials gathered from the Richter Library on the University of Miami’s campus will help supply answers to these questions as I seek to see whether or not Interstate 95’s construction was the reason for Overtown’s fall.

Works Cited

Dunn, Marvin. Black Miami in the Twentieth Century. Gainesville: University of Florida, 1997. Print.

This book provides ample information into Black Miami in the 20^th century. Not only does it provide information regarding the construction of I-95, it also goes into depth about Black Miami following the 1950s. Written at the University of Florida by Marvin Dunn, this book is native to Florida. The intended audience is toward students researching the African-American community in Miami. This book will be a great source for information following the 1950s as I seek to answer whether or not I-95 was the catalyst for the destruction of Overtown.

Posner, Gerald L. Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth, and Power--a Dispatch from the Beach. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009. Print.

This book provides a modern day view of Miami in the perspective of how James Kelly would have viewed Miami into the 21^st century. Posner has written other books involving the history of other corrupt city, for instance Detroit. He will give a different view on how the Black community became destructive. This book will also help with the post-1950s outlook on the city as I gather more information to see whether or not I-95 was the main reason behind Overtown’s destruction. On top of this, Posner’s book goes hand in hand with Dunn’s book by discussing the crime problems of Miami and how the perception versus reality was an issue in the city.

Dluhy, Milan, Keith Revell, and Sidney Wong. "Creating A Positive Future For A Minority Community: Transportation and Urban Renewal Politics in Miami." Journal of Urban Affairs 24.1 (2002): 75-95. Print.

This journal provides the research aspect into the paper that is much needed. All three authors are professors at University of North Carolina, Florida International University, and University of Pennsylvania, respectively. While the first two books provide an opinion into my sources, this journal provides research into my essay. On top of that, it only discusses how transportation and urban renewal was a direct cause for problems in the minority community in Miami. I can use other examples of how construction of thoroughfares and other transporatation projects had an impact on other neighborhoods to solidify that the building of I-95 helped destroy Overtown to this very day.