Shelter is one of our most basic human needs. Yet housing, and its legal, social and political meanings and struggles around its distribution, possession and safety, is a concept that can only be fully understood as a historical phenomenon. This podcast series shows how history provides a unique view on how the question of housing is a social justice issue connected to other ones like mass incarceration and the destruction wrought by wars, famines, pandemics, colonial expansion and intergenerational racial, ethnic and class inequalities. All episodes were conceived and produced by students in the course, “Global Urban Histories of Housing Justice” at Columbia University. Using examples from cities around the world, these episodes feature archival and oral history research as they delve into stories that get to the bigger picture about how, throughout the world, the provision of shelter for urban populations has been at the center of urban crises and conflicts, as well as their solutions.
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Shelter is one of our most basic human needs. Yet housing, and its legal, social and political meanings and struggles around its distribution, possession and safety, is a concept that can only be fully understood as a historical phenomenon. This podcast series shows how history provides a unique view on how the question of housing is a social justice issue connected to other ones like mass incarceration and the destruction wrought by wars, famines, pandemics, colonial expansion and intergenerational racial, ethnic and class inequalities. All episodes were conceived and produced by students in the course, “Global Urban Histories of Housing Justice” at Columbia University. Using examples from cities around the world, these episodes feature archival and oral history research as they delve into stories that get to the bigger picture about how, throughout the world, the provision of shelter for urban populations has been at the center of urban crises and conflicts, as well as their solutions.
In the late 19th century New York City was booming with industry and commerce, which attracted many newcomers both from rural areas and abroad. In 1850 the city had around 600,000 residents. By 1900, however, that number had swelled to 4 million. But how did the city cope with that exponential growth? Where were all these people living?
As New York became more and more industrialized, several fields began recruiting female laborers. Women were particularly sought after in garment production. Many of these workers were young, single women on their own for the first time in a major city. It was especially hard for women with few connections in the city to find an affordable and safe place to live, so many single women ended up renting rooms or living in private boarding houses. By 1910 there were around 68,000 women boarders in Manhattan alone!
In this podcast, you can learn about the history of housing options developed for single women in New York as an alternative to private boarding and lodging.
Just Housing
Shelter is one of our most basic human needs. Yet housing, and its legal, social and political meanings and struggles around its distribution, possession and safety, is a concept that can only be fully understood as a historical phenomenon. This podcast series shows how history provides a unique view on how the question of housing is a social justice issue connected to other ones like mass incarceration and the destruction wrought by wars, famines, pandemics, colonial expansion and intergenerational racial, ethnic and class inequalities. All episodes were conceived and produced by students in the course, “Global Urban Histories of Housing Justice” at Columbia University. Using examples from cities around the world, these episodes feature archival and oral history research as they delve into stories that get to the bigger picture about how, throughout the world, the provision of shelter for urban populations has been at the center of urban crises and conflicts, as well as their solutions.
