Afterlives of San Juan Hill

In 1958, an emerging Puerto Rican community was displaced from New York City’s Lincoln Square and San Juan Hill neighborhoods to make way for the construction of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Fordham University. Infamously called a “Puerto Rican Slum” and “the worst slum in New York” by the architect of New York’s Urban Renewal Process, Robert Moses, Lincoln Square and San Juan Hill were home to approximately 2,000 Puerto Rican families. Utilizing never-before-seen archival documents made available to CENTRO by the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts and other archival materials from that time period, CENTRO’s Data Hub has provided an exhibit, an upcoming in depth report, and additional educational resources about San Juan Hill and the Lincoln Square urban renewal project.

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"AFTERLIVES OF SAN JUAN HILL" Exhibit

Utilizing never-before-seen archival documents made available to CENTRO by the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts and other archival materials from that time period, this exhibit delves into the larger history of the Lincoln Square Urban Renewal project and traces the process through which these families were disrupted and displaced. These records invite us to engage in a necessary reframing of the scripts that bolstered dispossession in the name of development across New York City in the mid-20th century. By delving into the lived experiences of the community’s residents, AFTERLIVES OF SAN JUAN HILL highlights the individual stories of Lincoln Square residents during this pivotal time.

The exhibit is accompanied by a brief pamphlet that describes the Puerto Rican residents living in the San Juan Hill neighborhood prior to the creation of the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts. The pamphlet is available to view under RESOURCES on the left side bar.

For more information about the Exhibit please scroll down to our events section.

Memories of San Juan Hill/Lincoln Square?

Do you have memories of San Juan Hill, Lincoln Square, or Urban Renewal projects in New York City that you would like to share with us? If you would like to share your experiences with CENTRO, please click here. It’s an honor to have you share this part of your life with us.

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Acknowledgments

Exhibit Curators: Dr. Cristel M. Jusino Diaz & Christopher Lopez

Exhibit Layout Design: Christopher Lopez

Exhibit Graphic Design: Alyssa Monet Chambers & Brandon Chacon

Exhibit Production Team: Glorimar Garcia & Sebastian Meltz-Collazo

Research Support: Monique Young, Camila Juarbe, Maya Borg, and Arianna Meneses