"Less Than Plessy: The Inner City, Suburbs, and State-Sanctioned Residential Segregation in the Age of Brown"

Less Than Plessy examines the complex history of residential segregation in American cities after Brown v. Board of Education. The book focuses on how government policies and institutional practices maintained racial separation despite legal changes. Hirsch analyzes housing discrimination through case studies of Chicago, Detroit, and other major metropolitan areas from the 1950s through the 1970s. The narrative traces evolving mechanisms of segregation as they adapted to new legal frameworks and civil rights advances. Through archival research and demographic data, the book documents the role of federal agencies, local governments, and private institutions in perpetuating neighborhood racial divides. The examination extends beyond individual discrimination to reveal systemic barriers that shaped urban and suburban development. The work challenges conventional assumptions about progress after Brown v. Board by revealing how residential segregation became more deeply entrenched through new forms of state action. This historical analysis provides crucial context for understanding persistent patterns of racial separation in American cities.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Arnold Hirsch's overall work: Academic readers consistently highlight Hirsch's "Making the Second Ghetto" for its detailed research and clear explanation of how Chicago's housing segregation developed through institutional policies. Readers appreciated: - Thorough documentation of specific policies and decisions - Clear connections between government actions and racial segregation - Accessibility of complex historical analysis - Relevance to current urban issues Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style - Heavy focus on policy details over personal stories - Limited coverage of community resistance movements Goodreads ratings average 4.27/5 from 182 ratings Amazon ratings average 4.5/5 from 31 reviews One reader noted: "Hirsch meticulously traces how Chicago's power structure actively created segregation." Another mentioned: "The writing can be dry, but the research is invaluable." Most academic reviews cite his work as foundational for understanding urban segregation, though some suggest it could better incorporate resident perspectives.

The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein This book documents how local, state, and federal policies created racial segregation in American neighborhoods throughout the twentieth century.

Root Shock by Mindy Thompson Fullilove The text examines the impact of urban renewal programs and displacement on African American communities from the 1950s through the present day.

Race for Profit by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor This study reveals how federal housing programs of the 1960s and 1970s created new forms of housing discrimination and exploitation in Black neighborhoods.

American Apartheid by Douglas Massey, Nancy Denton The work demonstrates how residential segregation serves as the foundation of Black social and economic inequality in the United States.

When Work Disappears by William Julius Wilson This research connects urban poverty to the disappearance of manufacturing jobs and increasing racial segregation in American cities.

🏘️ Arnold Hirsch pioneered the concept of "second-ghetto" theory, which explains how post-WWII urban renewal and public housing policies reinforced racial segregation in American cities. 🏛️ The book's title references two landmark Supreme Court cases: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which established "separate but equal," and Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which overturned school segregation. 📍 The research focuses heavily on Chicago as a case study, particularly examining how the Chicago Housing Authority and city government actively maintained racial boundaries through strategic placement of public housing projects. ⚖️ Despite the landmark Brown v. Board decision in 1954, the book demonstrates how housing segregation actually intensified in many American cities during the civil rights era through seemingly "race-neutral" policies. 🏡 The term "state-sanctioned" in the title reflects how government policies at all levels—federal, state, and local—worked in concert with private practices like restrictive covenants and redlining to maintain residential segregation.