1981 SPECIAL REPORT: "SOUTH BRONX"

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Published 2019-05-21

On October 5, 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter paid an unscheduled visit to Charlotte Street, while in New York to attend a conference at the headquarters of the United Nations. Charlotte Street at the time was a three-block devastated area of vacant lots and burned-out and abandoned buildings. The street had been so ravaged that part of it had been taken off official city maps in 1974. Carter instructed Patricia Roberts Harris, head of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to take steps to salvage the area. Progress did not come quickly; three years later, in 1980, presidential candidate Ronald Reagan paid a visit to Charlotte Street, declaring that he had not "seen anything that looked like this since London after the Blitz".

All Comments (20)

@mrzed2349 4 years ago

I'm 53 . I remember the Bronx looking like a warzone
@dirtyzanches6053 3 years ago

If you're a young poor person or child, never give up HOPE and remember that you're not to blame for your circumstances, and that you can change that once you become older.
@user-rf3if7fz6q 1 year ago

We lost 80% of our buildings in the South Bronx. It was crazy!! My mom came home one night and the landlord literally told her.. the building is finished!! He left!! The building was massive and absolutely beautiful. They don’t build apartments with space like that anymore. The whole block literally died overnight. Even in those hard times we were able to be happy!! We did create a strong sense of community and friendship with our family, friends and neighbors. They always tried to help one another. I still have wonderful memories of those times.
@eddiesaninocencio7486 2 years ago

Lived in the Bronx in the 70's, terrible, poverty, drugs, killings, I was lucky to finish High school and joined the Army, now I'm a retired Army disabled veteran, but always my heart yearns for the Bronx, child hood place.
@marycasanova8516 3 years ago

I was a teacher in the south bronx in the 70s 80s 90s. Incredible families and the children , precious.
@andygarcia3246 3 years ago

Crazy how this same place is now being gentrified with top high-end condos and businesses you will never see in a low income area.
@andrewjones2133 3 years ago

I’m 51. Grew up in Washington Heights and I remember looking across the river and seeing all burnt run down abandoned buildings 🏚. It was terrible.
@teekolinski491 2 years ago

RIP to Lorraine Montenegro- who led a long life of activism in the south BX & tragically died at 74 when she was stranded in PR during Hurricane Maria (2017). 💙
@paulmenza8332 3 years ago

This was the bygone era when journalistic integrity still had some existence.
@jamesc9629 4 years ago

It's like a jungle sometimes.
@ReadTheBibleAloud 2 years ago

My friend Derek, a Puerto Rican left New York City after 911. He came to San Francisco with little more than the clothes on his back. Today he is an experienced commercial highrise building engineer. He is a kind and honest man with an amazing work ethic. If I were a businessman I would definitely look at doing business in the Bronx.
@dravenvandross8281 3 years ago

This is the Bronx I remember as a Puerto Rican kid really brings back memories and to see the Bronx now it's just incredible how far we have come the Bronx look amazing now.
@AAB6432 4 years ago

The landlord paid for those apartments to burn.
@bmartinovid 4 years ago

I love how America makes documentaries on the tragedy they created
@demontongue9893 9 months ago

I'm from Glasgow in Scotland and my city looked like this all the way into the early 2000's, some places still look like this it's a sorry sight.
@KarimJovian 10 months ago

I wonder where all these people are. The kids, the boxer. I hope they are well
@iverstim 4 years ago

Back when New York City was a rough and tough place. Its quite amazing how different NYC is
@cooldigerati2512 3 years ago

As Americans, we should be embarrassed that we let neighborhoods degenerate to this level. Unfortunately, for people in power... out of sight, out of mind.
@a.garcia7127 2 years ago

The Bronx influenced the whole world with urban culture. Electric Boogie, Break Dance, Hip Hop, Graffiti, Gangs, Clothing Style, etc. I grew up on Third Avenue near E 170th. I had friends that used to come from Manhattan just to see the burned out buildings at night time. The moon shining through a burnt window is something else.