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                   In Levittown's Shadow


Contrary to popular opinion, suburbs such as Levittown relied on a largely unseen group of low-income workers who supported homes, maintained lawns, and served local businesses.  Paradoxically, federal housing assistance contributed to the creation of poverty in these communities, instead of eradicating it.  In his book, “In Levittown’s Shadow:  Poverty in America’s Wealthiest Postwar Suburb,” Tim Keogh contends that inequality was inherent in the development of suburban areas.  Using Long Island as a case study, the book highlights the growth of the service sector, the lived experiences of marginalized workers, and the shortcomings of policymakers in addressing the needs of the suburban poor.

Tim Keogh, our speaker, is an Associate Professor in the department of History at Queensboro College.  He earned his Ph.D. in History from the Graduate Center, City University of New York.  His recent work, “In Levittown’s Shadow:  Poverty in America’s Wealthiest Postwar Suburb,” received the Dixon Ryan Fox prize for best manuscript in New York History.  H also serves as the editor of “War and the City:  The Urban Context of Conflict and Mass Destruction.”