Sobrante Park, Oakland, California
Encyclopedia
Sobrante Park is a neighborhood located in East Oakland, California
, which is partially separated from the rest of the city by railroad tracks and industrial neighborhoods, with limited road access. It was built shortly after World War II
,First as a White-Only Lockout and then gradually becoming a White flight
red-zone in the mid to late 50's.THEN in the early 60's it became a working-class black neighborhood.Interestingly,it was projected by planners that there would be no in-road into SanLeandro's Davis St.residential area which was developed during the same period.
In the 1980s the neighborhood became a center of crack cocaine
dealing. A large gang from the neighborhood gave itself the nickname, "11-5" (or "11-500") which refers to the section of California State's legal code
for drug crimes. A memorial to 32 men and six women members of the gang who have been killed since then (as of 2002) was painted on the basketball court in Tyrone Carney Park, a local park named after a young man from the neighborhood who died in the Vietnam war
. The city installed a fence around the park in an attempt to reduce the murders and drug dealing that had been taking place in and around the park.
Sobrante Park is a mostly African-American and Latino
neighborhood, with African-Americans forming 53.5%, and Latinos forming about 38%http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/zip/94603.
Sobrante Park and the informally named "Ghost Town
" have been two of the most crime-ridden areas on Oakland.
Recently, the Alameda County Department of Health, local organizations, and community members established a Time Bank project for the neighborhood in order to facilitate skill sharing among residents, rebuild trust, and revitalize the community of Sobrante Park.
East Oakland, Oakland, California
East Oakland is the southeastern portion of Oakland, California, and takes up the largest portion of the city's land area. It stretches between Lake Merritt in the northwest and San Leandro in the southeast...
, which is partially separated from the rest of the city by railroad tracks and industrial neighborhoods, with limited road access. It was built shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
,First as a White-Only Lockout and then gradually becoming a White flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
red-zone in the mid to late 50's.THEN in the early 60's it became a working-class black neighborhood.Interestingly,it was projected by planners that there would be no in-road into SanLeandro's Davis St.residential area which was developed during the same period.
In the 1980s the neighborhood became a center of crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
dealing. A large gang from the neighborhood gave itself the nickname, "11-5" (or "11-500") which refers to the section of California State's legal code
Legal code
A legal code is a body of law written by a governmental body, such as a U.S. state, a Canadian Province or German Bundesland or a municipality...
for drug crimes. A memorial to 32 men and six women members of the gang who have been killed since then (as of 2002) was painted on the basketball court in Tyrone Carney Park, a local park named after a young man from the neighborhood who died in the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The city installed a fence around the park in an attempt to reduce the murders and drug dealing that had been taking place in and around the park.
Sobrante Park is a mostly African-American and Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
neighborhood, with African-Americans forming 53.5%, and Latinos forming about 38%http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/zip/94603.
Sobrante Park and the informally named "Ghost Town
Ghost Town, Oakland, California
Ghost Town is the informal name of the Foster Hoover Historic District neighborhood in West Oakland, Oakland, California. The community is known for its violence and blight. The name probably originated from the two casket companies operating side by side on Filbert Street between 30th and 32nd...
" have been two of the most crime-ridden areas on Oakland.
Recently, the Alameda County Department of Health, local organizations, and community members established a Time Bank project for the neighborhood in order to facilitate skill sharing among residents, rebuild trust, and revitalize the community of Sobrante Park.