The South End’s history began as a tidal marsh that was filled in as part of the larger project of filling Boston’s Back Bay with gravel in the mid 1800s. The neighborhood’s community identity was reconstructed during tumultuous times of urban renewal in 1960s and 1970s. During this time, houses were demolished to make way for shopping areas and luxury apartments and many residents were displaced. Hundreds of community members banded together to protest in a parking lot and created a temporary “tent city”, advocating for affordable housing. This parking lot was eventually transformed into the Tent City development that is now home to several hundred mixed income families. During the same period, a group of predominantly Puerto Rican community activists successful stared down bulldozers of urban renewal and gained control over the development of their neighborhood, thus establishing Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion’s Villa Victoria housing community. Additionally, the first settlement houses in Boston were created in the South End and were developed to absorb newcomers into neighborhoods enriched by all cultures, income levels and walks of life. These settlement houses provided programs to meet the social needs of residents including career counseling, assistance for small-business start-ups, transportation and meals for senior, and after-school programs and eventually merged to form the United South End Settlements.

The South End is now home to over 33,000 residents, 48% of whom are white, 15% are Black, 12% are Latino and 23% are Asian. The annual per capita income is high at close to $36,000, but 24% of people live in poverty, which suggests a disparity in income. The neighborhood has most recently attracted a vibrant gay and lesbian population and a blend of young professionals and families. Some of Boston’s most specialized boutiques, unique restaurants, and blossoming arts community also call the South End home.

Sources:

Boston Public Health Commission 2010 HOB Report
My Neighborhood: Boston