“The American Dream—For All Americans”

Abstract

This article explores the desegregation of Levittown, Pennsylvania, in the 1950s. Following World War II, black Philadelphians found themselves locked in the heart of the city, with bad housing and few job opportunities. Levittown offered a place for African Americans to secure better homes near growing industrial areas, but William Levitt refused to sell to them. African Americans and their white allies mounted political and legal campaigns to force the community to admit black residents. The Myers family finally broke the color barrier in 1957 but faced weeks of protests until state authorities squelched local resistance. The Myerses got to keep their home, but their victory did little to break down Levittown’s barriers. Building on new scholarship about suburban history and the northern black rights movement, this article analyzes the meaning of suburbs to African Americans, conflicting ideas white and black residents had about rights, and the limited ability of liberal approaches to address racial discrimination.