Date of Conferral
10-8-2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Policy and Administration
Advisor
Dr. Lori Demeter
Abstract
Historically, Black communities have often been discussed in the context of crime and poverty; however, most Black communities were flourishing neighborhoods with businesses, churches, and schools. Most of the literature related to gentrification and displacement does not address the root causes of the disappearance of Black communities, which generally centers on policies, legislation, force-outs, economic development, and racial disparities. This case study aimed to explore the displacement of a suburban historically Black community in St. Louis County, Missouri. Scholars have scarcely examined or written about the history of Black communities. The research question sought to explore the impact of displacement on Hadley Township, a historically Black community in Richmond Heights, Missouri. Critical race theory served as the theoretical framework. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit 17 current and former residents, historians, developers, reporters, and political officials for semi-structured interviews. The data were coded and organized by themes using NVivo software. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: the resilience and self-determination of a community, the peripheral push of suburban Black community displacement, the impact of economic forces on Black community displacement, and racial economic dynamics. The themes supported the idea that race played a role in Richmond Heights’ decision to urbanize Hadley Township. The potential impact towards positive social change may be to provide insights into how policies and programs may be improved to preserve historically Black communities and provide hope to its residents.
Recommended Citation
Moore, Daffney, "A Qualitative Examination of Factors Potentially Impacting Displacement of Historically Black Communities" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16461.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16461
