For many people, the name Brownsville brings to mind the rancorous dispute
between Black residents, who wanted more control over their schools, and the
predominantly Jewish teachers union, which believed the protests to be
fueled by anti-Semitism.

So it was surprising to learn that several decades earlier, in the 1930s,
when the community was at the end of the railroad line, Brownsville was
considered to be in the vanguard of racial harmony.
At the time, Jews, Blacks and Italians lived in contiguous neighborhoods.
Because recreational opportunities for kids were minimal, a Democratic
politician named Abe Stark donated a storefront for the creation of the
Brownsville Boys Club.

Almost immediately, the club was faced with a decision: Should it admit
Black kids? Unanimously, the club members voted yes -- the decision a mixture
of liberal altruism and sports pragmatism. "Once Blacks came in, it helped
our athletic prowess," a former member recalled.

Over the years, the Brownsville Boys Club grew into an institution with as
many as 2,000 members.

A Black interviewee recalled that on Jewish holidays, "everything closed
down in town." The youngsters were close, more aware of their similarities
than their differences. "I guess at that time everyone was poor," he
recalled. "We had a great time."

So what changed?

After World War II, massive public housing tracts were built.  They became
"instant ghettoes." "Things turned. People had to lock their doors, and were
afraid to be out at night," one interviewee said.
Unemployment in Brownsville rose to five times the average of the rest of
New York City. It was as if there were two New Yorks, "one prosperous,
upwardly mobile; the other forgotten."