New Haven Oral History Project

Charles Twyman grew up in the Dixwell neighborhood during the 1920s, a member of the small African American community in New Haven that would grow tremendously in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he became a community activist. When Dixwell was slated for redevelopment, Twyman became chairman of the Dixwell Renewal Committee. Twyman describes the his disappointment in the results of efforts to create high-quality housing in West Rock for people forced to move from Dixwell during redevelopment.