The City as a Platform

Cities have always been a place for conflict, and they will continue to provide a space for dialogue. The beauty of cities is that no one person can say how they are designed or occupied. Planners may have a vision, but they rarely achieve the intended outcome, typically, people determine the use. Cities become a platform for the people. 

The Civil Rights Movement in the mid-1900s shows us the power of people and the self-agency that can be developed in the public realm of the city. Amplification of voices spread aspirations of a better city, a constant iteration. During the 1950s, it was a mission to achieve equal rights, living conditions, government support, and opportunities for African Americans. 

The city during the time was intentionally segregating communities, several of which were integrated before the end of WW2. The elite who acted as controlling powers feared what it might mean for them if lower-income, working-class Americans of all races joined together to seek better socioeconomic conditions. Activists like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. recognized the power of city demonstrations and the potential the movement would have if people could see it happening. The city became a place where visibility is amplification, and conflict is progress.