Monday, August 19, 2019

A Shadow Cast: Interstate 81
ArtRage Gallery

Price: Free
ArtRage Gallery
505 Hawley Ave., Syracuse

The original construction of Interstate 81 devastated a neighborhood that was home to Syracuse's working-class black community, previously known as the 15th ward. It severed the social fabric of the community, destroyed swaths of buildings, and physically isolated the south side of Syracuse from wealthier neighborhoods. It contributed to the severe racial segregation of public schools by limiting housing access and facilitating white flight. The replacement of I-81 presents an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past. The new construction can either entrench existing segregation or it can create openings to rebuild Syracuse to become more racially and socioeconomically integrated.

This installation seeks to put a human face on this massive infrastructure project. The history of I-81 is not the story of a construction project, but one about families, communities, and discrimination.

Presented by The New York Civil Liberties Union and Shane Lavalette.