Displacement and Dreams: The Loss of Home in a New South Town

Despite much research regarding the experience of white city dwellers of Greenville, South Carolina, in the twentieth century, telling the stories of the city’s Black neighborhoods still remains to be done. This thesis chronicles the Black neighborhood of Little Texas, which was found northeast of the city’s central business district from its inception in the 1870s to its demise in the 1970s. By situating the city’s efforts to restrict and limit Black spaces within the historical framework of nationwide efforts of residential segregation ordinances, racially restrictive covenants, and city planning, this thesis argues that Greenville followed many other cities in restricting the constitutional right of its Black citizens to acquire, occupy, and dispose of real property. Through careful examination of historic newspapers, city directories, historic maps, and census data, I argue that the city of Greenville cultivated a hostile view of Black spaces through segregation, zoning, and poor planning practices. These efforts led to the dismantling and removal of Little Texas homes, churches, schools, and burial grounds. This paper also presents new research concerning the city’s 1912 residential segregation ordinance, Black community leaders in the twentieth century, and challenges to the city’s policies of segregation and discrimination.