The title “A Place of One’s Own: The Quest for Home Ownership” pretty much says it all. The article talks about how important having one’s own home is to Americans especially in today’s times. But back in the nineteenth century with industrialization was leading the economy; living in the cities became more and more popular. Buying a home in the city suddenly rose in importance to having a family farm. While Americans were able to buy their nice homes using credit, most African Americans and Hispanics were pushed to the bottom of the barrel. Segregation made it hard for them, they were not shown houses in white neighborhoods, banks refused them for mortgages, and whites refused to sell their homes to blacks. One man, Dr. Ossian Sweet, was somehow able to buy a small house inside of a working-class white neighborhood, but on the day they moved in an angry white mob gathered. One thing leads to another and soon gun shots rang out upon the crowd. When Sweet and his family and friends were brought to the police station they were accused of murder, however, in court thanks to defense lawyer Clarence Darrow Sweet was found not guilty. He was simply defending his home and family.
Questions:
If you were in Dr. Sweet’s shoes how would you have felt about the angry mob at your door step and what would you have done?
Today, do you think it is still as hard for people of other races to find their own home in a good neighborhood?
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