Matthew Schuerman

As millions of Americans moved to the suburbs after World War II, a smaller number stayed behind, enchanted by the vibrancy and diversity of city life. Largely white and well-off, these “pioneers” self-consciously crafted their ideal neighborhoods. They formed community groups, organized house tours, and lobbied city officials to promote their cause. Eventually, the back-to-the-city movement caught on to such a degree that these pioneers have, in some cases, pushed out the people and the places that made cities diverse and vibrant in the first place.