South Bronx Rising: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of an American City

“Jill Jonnes gives flesh and bone to ‘gentrification.’ Instead of abstract theory, she offers real people and real communities that profoundly illuminate what happens when money begins rolling into a neighborhood. This is an indispensable street-level narrative.”
-DW Gibson, author of The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the 21st Century

What can the South Bronx teach us about building and sustaining more equitable communities across New York?

Jill Jonnes’ South Bronx Rising (Fordham University Press, 2022) tells the story of the shifting fortunes of an iconic New York City neighborhood, tracking it from its initial development as an immigrant community, continuing through the “Bronx is burning” period of the 1970s, and ending with contemporary issues of gentrification and displacement. Along the way, Jonnes spotlights the actors behind the reshaping of the South Bronx, from community activists and developers to presidents and mayors.

Join us via Zoom on January 16 for a lively conversation between Jill Jonnes and OHNY Board Vice President Saundra Thomas about her experience writing this book. The conversation will give special focus to the recently published Third Edition, which features a new chapter on the contemporary issues facing the South Bronx, including the new wave of real estate investment.

AIA CES credit (1 LU) is available for those who attended this program live.

Purchase South Bronx Rising here.

About The Author
Jill Jonnes is renowned author whose books are inspired by her interest in the histories and dynamics of cities. After writing the First Edition of South Bronx Rising, Jonnes went on to write many other works including Empires of Light and Eiffel’s Tower. A resident of Baltimore, Jonnes’ passion for greening cities led her to found both the Baltimore Tree Trust and Flowering Tree Trails of Baltimore.

Launched in 2020, OHNY Stacks is a series of book talks exploring the shape, structure, and experience of cities and urban life today. Join us this winter, virtually and in person, for conversations with acclaimed authors that reveal new perspectives on the past, present, and future of life in NYC—and beyond.

This program is part of Building Capital: The Value of Place, a multi-year series of programs presented by Open House New York, exploring how financial, cultural, and community capital combine to shape quality of place and quality of life across the five boroughs. Building Capital: The Value of Place is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

This event will take place live on Zoom. The link to join the program will be emailed to all ticketholders.