Understanding Avondale: The Historical Roots of Contemporary Challenges

Understanding Avondale: The Historical Roots of Contemporary Challenges

Presenter(s)

Alexandra Amrhein

Comments

3:20-3:40, Kennedy Union 310

Description

The neighborhood of Avondale in Cincinnati, Ohio is characterized by a puzzling juxtaposition between elegant historic mansions and poverty, unemployment, and crime. Stigmatized for these latter qualities, its people have worked valiantly to revitalize their community, but pushing back against decades of economic depression is a challenge. This project offers a plausible, historically-based explanation for these conditions which have prevented Avondale from flourishing. Presenting research on Cincinnati’s 1930s redlining, the connection between West End and Avondale, the eruption of riots in the 1960s, and the consequent stigmatization of Avondale, I attempt to trace the domino effect that appears to have locked the neighborhood in economic stagnation and bred crime. I then discuss specific problems with which Avondale residents are currently faced. Citing Cincinnati’s census data and most recent Equity Indicators Report, I share statistics on poverty, unemployment, and crime rates that display the contemporary implications of Avondale’s earlier-discussed history. The effects on residents’ health are also concerning, and the link between possible social determinants (access to medication, stress-induced anxiety, and level of health literacy) and health is explored. Finally, I propose potential steps forward for undergraduates, like myself, who are inspired to use their research to help efforts currently underway in communities like Avondale. Though it may seem daunting at first to face such overwhelming issues, the smallest acts of service – as simple as writing a letter – could help set in motion a world of difference.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Course Project - ENG 366 H1

Primary Advisor

Megan S. Donelson

Primary Advisor's Department

English

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Practical Wisdom; Community; Critical Evaluation of Our Times

Understanding Avondale: The Historical Roots of Contemporary Challenges

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