Available From UC Press

Community activist Carolyn McLaughlin takes us on a journey of the South Bronx through the eyes of its community members. Facing burned-out neighborhoods of the 1970s, the community fought back. McLaughlin illustrates the spirit of the community in creating a vibrant, diverse culture and its decades-long commitment to develop nonprofit housing and social-services, and to advocate for better education, health care, and a healthier environment. For the South Bronx to remain a safe haven for poor families, maintaining affordable housing is the central—but most challenging—task.

South Bronx Battles is the comeback story of a community that was once in crisis but now serves as a beacon for other cities to rebuild, while keeping their neighborhoods affordable.

Carolyn McLaughlin is a social worker who worked in the South Bronx for fifty years. For thirty-four years she led BronxWorks, which became a highly respected human service agency that helps 35,000 people a year.

David Gómez is President of Hostos Community College in the South Bronx. 

“The stories in South Bronx Battles are those of my friends and neighbors, as well as my own. It underscores the contributions of community members to rebuilding. McLaughlin shares lessons applicable to other cities in this compelling, timely book.”—Vivian Vazquez, coproducer of Decade of Fire

“The devastation of the South Bronx and other areas of New York City was caused by a multitude of factors that compounded the economic crisis that plagued the city. These factors included misguided government policies and widespread discrimination, as described in South Bronx Battles. What I find most important about this book are the illustrations of the transformative impact that community organizations can have when government collaborates with them as true partners for sustainable solutions toward progress.”—David Dinkins, 106th Mayor, City of New York, 1990–1993

“No one has done more to build human services in the Bronx than Carolyn McLaughlin. A must-read for students of urban politics and those who love the Bronx.”—Mark Naison, Fordham University, and coauthor of Before the Fires and The Rat That Got Away

“I met Carolyn McLaughlin in 1982, the [then] executive director of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). CAB became an indispensable part of living in the South Bronx. McLaughlin and CAB, along with other Bronx community organizations, were my partners in laying the foundation of a reviving South Bronx.”—Fernando Ferrer, Bronx Borough President, 1987–2001