{"id":10192,"date":"2025-04-03T18:51:49","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T18:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/?page_id=10192"},"modified":"2026-04-11T03:16:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T03:16:01","slug":"west-side-neighbors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/west-side-neighbors\/","title":{"rendered":"West Side Neighbors: A Model of Integrated Living in West Akron, 1967-1990 | West Side Neighbors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/a> | West Side Neighbors<\/a> | Dr. Juliet Saltman<\/a> | National Neighbors<\/a> | Conclusion<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Side Neighbors<\/h2>\n\n\n
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West Side Neighbors logo, from a West Side Neighbors brochure, undated. West Side Neighbors Collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In July 1967, the Akron Beacon Journal<\/em> published an article about racial integration in Akron, Ohio. Ward Three Councilman Ed Davis had said to his colleagues a week earlier that the area between Delia Avenue, Hawkins Avenue, Rhodes Avenue, and the West Expressway was \u201cgrowing into the \u2018biggest slum Akron ever had\u2026I don\u2019t say it is a slum now, but we\u2019re building it \u2013 building it with tax dollars we\u2019re using to buy property in Opportunity Park.\u2019\u201d1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to Davis’ comment, a group of West Akron residents and faith leaders joined together a few months later to form West Side Neighbors, Inc. Approximately 150 people attended the meeting and they elected a 21-member steering committee and adopted bylaws. West Akron residents could become dues-paying members for one dollar a year.2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n

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“Good Neighbors,” undated. West Side Neighbors, Inc. Records.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The approximate boundaries of WSN’s service area was the West Expressway (I-76\/77) to the west, Mull Avenue to the north, West Exchange Street and Portage Path to the east, and Diagonal Road to the south. At the time of WSN’s founding, their service area included approximately 10,000 homes and 30,000 people.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Map\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
A map of the western part of Akron with the West Side Neighbors service area outlined in yellow. The blue sections and numbers are believed to be block clubs. Undated. West Side Neighbors, Inc. Records.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

West Side Neighbors, Inc. was a biracial and interfaith group. The organization’s goal was to demonstrate an effective integrated community, \u201cto show that blacks and whites could live, work and play together amicably\u201d in a well-maintained neighborhood with access to adequate services, businesses, schools, and recreation.3<\/a><\/sup> The hope was that an active neighborhood organization such as WSN could prevent the resegregation of West Akron, which often occurred in other neighborhoods across the U.S. after they had become integrated.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Flyer created by West Side Neighbors to call out illegal real estate solicitation in West Akron. Undated. West Side Neighbors, Inc. Records.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

WSN identified several actions that led to resegregation of neighborhoods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n