"A Riot Is the Language of the Unheard": Centering Black / Caribbean American Experiences in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

On the nights of August 19–22, 1991, a series of protests and violent events involving the Black and Hasidic Jewish communities in Brooklyn, New York, culminated in the Crown Heights riot. This article recontextualizes the riot's narrative, framing it not just as an antisemitic event but as one in w...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of American Ethnic History Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 35 - 67
Autor principal: Gaynair, Marlene H.
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: University of Illinois Press Winter2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=182283760&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: hlh
    uiTerm: 182283760
    longDbName: Humanities International Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        02785927
        JEN
      jtl: Journal of American Ethnic History
      issn: 02785927
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Winter2025
      vid: 44
      iid: 2
      pid: 416
      pub: University of Illinois Press
    artinfo:
      ui:
        182283760
        10.5406/19364695.44.2.02
      ppf: 35
      ppct: 32
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: P
              size: 203KB
      tig:
        atl: "A Riot Is the Language of the Unheard": Centering Black / Caribbean American Experiences in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
      aug:
        au: Gaynair, Marlene H.
      su:
        Violence
        Public demonstrations
        Jewish communities
        Public spaces
        Vandalism
        Collective memory
      sug:
        subj:
          Violence
          Public demonstrations
          Jewish communities
          Public spaces
          Vandalism
          Collective memory
      ab: On the nights of August 19–22, 1991, a series of protests and violent events involving the Black and Hasidic Jewish communities in Brooklyn, New York, culminated in the Crown Heights riot. This article recontextualizes the riot's narrative, framing it not just as an antisemitic event but as one in which younger members of the Black Caribbean majority expressed their frustrations through peaceful marches, physical fights, and the destruction of property. Including and centering Black Caribbean voices about this event does not replace Jewish testimony but rather brings that testimony into conversation with a side of the story typically ignored. The riot was not simply the result of antisemitism and a rejection of anti-Blackness. It was, rather, a response to the longstanding resentments of Black Caribbean residents over unequal distribution of resources, racism, disenfranchisement, over-policing, disputes over public and private space, and political under-representation. The untimely deaths of Gavin Cato and Yankel Rosenbaum brought attention to the Central Brooklyn community and highlighted arguments about the differential treatment of both communities by law enforcement, politicians, and City Hall. Through this article's centering of Black Caribbean voices, the riot's complete narrative enters historical scholarship, bringing these voices into conversation with the Hasidic Jewish community and collective memory.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
    refInfo:
    copyright:
      @attributes:
        flag: Y
      custom: Copyright of Journal of American Ethnic History is the property of University of Illinois Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
      item: Journal of American Ethnic History
      holder: University of Illinois Press
      dt:
        @attributes:
          year: 2025
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N