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Crisis In Levittown Essay

739 Words3 Pages

The documentary film, Crisis in Levittown, reveals racism in all-white Levittown, PA during the onset of the Civil Rights era. The Myers’ integration to all-white Levittown aided in the Civil Rights Movement, because it publically displayed that African Americans are equal. It portrayed the similar lifestyles between the stereotypical Levittown resident with the Myer family. The film captures the underlying reasoning for racism, which is fear. it reveals some residents of Levittown that are antagonistic towards an African American family living in their all-white community. However, the residents against the African American family all share a corresponding rationalization of fear. They fear (a) becoming outcast among their own race, (b) sharing …show more content…

William Myers and his family moved into Levittown, PA in August of 1957. The family shared Levittown norms, at the time William worked as a laboratory technician, studying to obtain a Master’s degree in civil engineering, and served in the army for almost three years. But the Myers’ skin color made them outcast to the all-white suburban community. The film interviews residents of Levittown on their stance on the Myers’ living in their all-white community. The first lady interviewed is accepting to the Myers’, she states that “more reasonable attitudes will prevail”. She discusses that many residents are against the idea of integration of Levittown and rumors are circulating around, one being that, the family is sponsored and paid to live in their community. The second lady interviewed is utterly against an African American family living in her community. She was happy to buy a home here because she was told it was an all-white community. Even contemplates moving out of Levittown, but she fears African Americans living here will drive real-estate value down. She emphasizes the question, if the Myers’ family can achieve the ‘American Dream’ is it really a dream. Indirectly stating, if an African American can afford what a white person could afford by what means can you determine superiority. In addition, she claims the Myers’ motive for moving to

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