South Bronx Rising - by Jill Jonnes (Paperback)

About the Book

"Thirty-five years after this landmark of urban history first captured the rise, fall, and rebirth of a once-thriving New York City borough-ravaged in the 1970s and '80s by disinvestment and fires, then heroically revived and rebuilt in the 1990s by community activists-Jill Jonnes returns to chronicle the ongoing revival of the South Bronx. Though now globally renowned as the birthplace of hip-hop, the South Bronx remains America's poorest urban congressional district. In this new edition, we meet the present generation of activists who are transforming their communities with the arts and greening, notably the restoration of the Bronx River. For better or worse, real estate investors have noticed, setting off new gentrification struggles"--

Book Synopsis

Thirty-five years after this landmark of urban history first captured the rise, fall, and rebirth of a once-thriving New York City borough--ravaged in the 1970s and '80s by disinvestment and fires, then heroically revived and rebuilt in the 1990s by community activists--Jill Jonnes returns to chronicle the ongoing revival of the South Bronx. Though now globally renowned as the birthplace of hip-hop, the South Bronx remains America's poorest urban congressional district. In this new edition, we meet the present generation of activists who are transforming their communities with the arts and greening, notably the restoration of the Bronx River. For better or worse, real estate investors have noticed, setting off new gentrification struggles.

Review Quotes

For many Americans, COVID was a revelation, exposing shocking racial and economic injustices all too familiar to residents of the South Bronx. This update, chronicling the past two decades of struggle and defiant hope, provides an essential addition to a seminal work. Jonnes again builds her story around the formidable, unbeatable, savvy citizens of the Bronx and their deep love for the place they saved and rebuilt. This is not a simple story of resurrection and accomplishment, nor one of despair and deprivation. Rather, Jonnes's work grapples with the complexity and difficulty of building a just society inside an unjust one.---Eileen Markey, Assistant Professor of Journalism at Lehman College of the City University of New York. A proud Bronxite since the 1990s, she has reported on social movements and public policy for close to 30 years.

In this third edition of South Bronx Rising, Jill Jonnes continues to acknowledge the indomitable spirit that defines what it means to be a Bronxite by exploring the borough's rapid gentrification and the COVID-19 pandemic that claimed the lives of more than 5,000 Bronx residents. This timely update on how we got here tells the story of the unsung heroes, the Bronx residents and activists who continue to defend and protect this corner of New York City and the world they call home.---Ed García Conde, Founder and Editor of Welcome2TheBronx

Jill Jonnes gives flesh and bone to 'gentrification.' Instead of abstract theory, she offers real people and real communities that profoundly illuminate what happens when money begins rolling into a neighborhood. This is an indispensable street-level narrative.---DW Gibson, author of The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the 21st Century

About the Author

Jill Jonnes (Author)
Jill Jonnes holds an M.S. from Columbia Journalism School and a Ph.D. in American History from Johns Hopkins University. She is the author of Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World; Conquering Gotham: Building Penn Station and Its Tunnels; and Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape.

Nilka Martell (Foreword By)
Nilka Martell is a parks advocate, writer, and the founder of Loving The Bronx.