New Haven Oral History Project

“Our goal is a slumless city — the first in the nation….”

Richard Lee's Vision of Urban Renewal

Richard Lee was born in New Haven in 1916. He graduated from Hillhouse High School, and went to work for the Yale University News Service, while serving as an alderman for Newhallville. After two unsuccessful attempts, he won election as mayor in 1953. Though Lee’s programs and policies were controversial, few question his political skill. Lee used masterful political tact to achieve an extraordinary amount of change during his eight terms of service to the city. In this archival recording, Lee describes his vision of urban renewal.

To find out more, visit The Life in the Model City Online Exhibit.

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Visit the "Life in the Model City" Exhibit Online

www.modelcity.org

In New Haven, Connecticut, from 1954 to 1969, some 25,000 people were relocated from their homes. Neighborhoods were transformed. One was totally eliminated. New Haven, residents were told, would be the “model city.” What was life like in the midst of such massive changes? How did neighborhoods and families react?

A major interviewing project and subsequent exhibition at the New Haven Colony Historical Society used oral history interviews with community residents to understand the lingering effects of urban renewal. This project was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

What is the New Haven Oral History Project?

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Preservation, Education, Community Building

The New Haven Oral History Project documents the oral history of New Haven, Connecticut. The NHOHP pursues three interrelated goals: preservation, education, and community building. Preservation involves building the New Haven Oral History Collection, a publicly-accessible archive of oral history about the city at the Yale University Library. We educate by teaching students to conduct the interviews, and bringing interviews into the classroom. Community building means putting our history to work in in public forums in our community, creating a common understanding of the past as the basis for a shared vision of the future.