(a) The author's main idea is that it would be tragic for the community of Lawndale to have to move and start over again due to redevelopment, and that this would cause unnecessary hardships for the residents.
(b) The author is requesting to remain in Lawndale because it is a prime community with public parks and open areas that provide essential space for black people to think. If forced to move, many residents would have to find new jobs or struggle to keep existing ones.
(c) The letter reflects political challenges during the Reagan administration because it speaks to the issue of public housing and redevelopment, which was a contentious topic during that time. Reagan's policies favored the reduction of government involvement in housing, which often led to the deterioration of public housing and displacement of vulnerable communities.
Excerpt from Martha Madison's Letter to Judge John Powers Crowley on Public Housing in Chicago, 1981
My name is Martha Madison. I am a resident of Lawndale and have been for six years and hopefully thanks to you I will be for many more years to come. I want to stay in Lawndale and participate in my community’s re-development because Lawndale is a prime community in Chicago and because of its location and public parks and open areas. I am only one person in this community, but I think the rest of the people in Lawndale will agree with me when I say that it would be a very tragic thing to have to move and start all over again. It would be tragic because then most of Lawndale people would have to find new jobs or struggle to get to the old one which is simply unnecessary when so many people are already out of jobs and struggling to keep the jobs that they have.
Another reason is because of the public parks and open areas. I think all black people need open areas to give them space to think. Black people cannot survive in closed areas and a good example of what I’m saying is the Project Housing. Yes, black people aren’t the only people that stay in Project Housing, but a majority of them do. I think black people need open areas because when you close them off that’s when so much crime begins and the crime only starts because there isn’t enough space to think.
Use the excerpt from Martha Madison’s letter on public housing in Chicago to answer the question.
Using the letter from Martha Madison, answer (a), (b), and (c).
In 1–2 sentences, explain the author's main idea.
In 2–3 sentences, identify one possible reason that author is requesting to remain in Lawndale and what may happen to the community currently living there.
In 2–3 sentences, explain how the letter is reflective of political challenges during the Reagan administration.
1 answer