http://archive.pov.org/streetfight/newark-a-brief-history/
Newark, New Jersey’s largest city and industrial area is where I reside and would like to talk about today. Newark’s population since founded in 1666, has dropped dramatically since the 2000s due to 31% of its population living in the poverty line and unemployment rate which was 12%. Also, 15% of teenagers between the ages 16-19 were high school dropouts. Although there are some poor histories that connect to my neighborhood, let’s introduce today’s Newark. The Newark that I live in now still has some repeated history, but it also has some good parts to it that I stumbled upon my walking adventure.
My experience with the walk, just like many other days was the same except for minor details I’ve never noticed. My walk started with an area that I haven’t visited or came across in a while. Setting aside time for this walk made me realize that there are parts of my neighborhood that have calm silence which brings me joy being that it’s not too far from my home. That area made me forget that I was in Newark, and it felt more suburban than urban to me. This made me feel a sense of security. During the walk, I also grasped some buildings that needed to be refurbished. Their cement was cracked and/or missing some colors to complete their full details.
Going further down my journey, there was this specific park that I came across that I know has been there for years! Everyone in Newark or around it must’ve heard or known about this specific park because it is the local place to go jog, play basketball or even hang out with friends. The park is known as Weequahic park– the word “Weequahic” derives from the Native American term meaning “head of the cover”. It has been around since the 1800s. Weequahic is the only neighborhood in Newark that has an Indian name. After all, their school mascot is the Cherokee Indians. To add onto their school, it is also a place I came across on my walk. It is approximately 10 minutes away from my home. That school has been there for 87 years now. That’s a little bit about the history of one of the historical parks in my neighborhood that I happened to visit.
When people hear about Newark, there’s automatically some negative things to be said about the city itself. They’re not to be blamed though, there are some pretty bad things about the City of Newark that’s been opinionated yet we seem to hold up to those standards. Some believe those from Newark are ghetto, dirty, won’t be anything in life etc. The streets of my neighborhood are filled with the aroma of smoke whether that be from cigarettes or weed. When I step out of my house, that is what I’m usually greeted with. On random mornings, I hear the sound of lawn mowers dancing through the grass and children playing outside. Around my area is an ongoing landscape project regarding a mall. It is known as ‘Valley Fair Mall’, which hasn’t been completed yet, but has opened for some specific stores to shop. Newark’s population is filled with mainly African-Americans, it’s like everyone knows everyone.
Although my city has had its rough moments in the past, it is still an ongoing project that needs change which I hope will happen– step by step. Newark, just like many other neighborhoods, have some work to do as far as their communities, their environment and how they uphold their name. A lot has happened over the past years, but it has also educated and shaped me to be stronger for what’s out there.