For thirteen years, through my childhood and early adolescence, I lived in my grandmother’s humble single family home in St. Albans, Queens, of New York City. St. Albans is a semi-suburban predominantly middle-class Black-American community with a noteworthy past. It was one of the few places in New York City where Black Americans could pursue homeownership. In the 1930’s pockets of the community enforced racial restrictive covenants to keep homeownership exclusive to White Americans, but by 1948 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled these agreements unenforceable. Today, St. Albans is locally known for having housed several notable Black figures. James Brown, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis and many others once called this community home.
Prior to the great recession of 2008, I moved from my grandmother’s home to an apartment, with my mother and sister. Due to multiple circumstances, we’d soon move to a shelter in the Bronx. By 2008, and out of a restrictive shelter system, the housing crisis would begin to heavily effect St. Albans and other predominantly Black neighborhoods in Queens. The decline of my quality of life and the housing crisis would motivate me to document this historically rich and underrepresented community, which still exemplifies the best of middle-class life in America.
Reflecting on the comforting times of my youth lead me to focus on homeownership. A decade after the crisis, St. Albans maintains the highest rate of Black homeowners in the borough of Queens and the second highest in New York City. “St. Albans’ Greatest: They All Lived Here†is the title of a local mural highlighting the notable Black musical and athletic figures who once lived here. “St. Albans’ Greatest†reflects on the social structures and economic factors that enabled a generation of African-American and Caribbean-Americans to attain and sustain homeownership, while celebrating the nuances of their normality as a form of greatness.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Barbara Eubanks' home on Camden Avenue. Ms. Eubanks, the photographer's grandmother, purchased her home in 1995 while working for the Traffic division of the New York Police Department, where she retired after 25 years. The pension she received with NYPD has enabled her to pay off her mortgage in 2012 and keep up with her property taxes. The home is also where the photographer grew up.
2018 - St. Albans, New York: Barbara Eubanks, 70, in her dining room. Ms. Eubanks, the photographer's grandmother, purchased her home in 1995 while working for the Traffic division of the New York Police Department, where she retired after 25 years. The pension she received with NYPD has enabled her to pay off her mortgage in 2012 and keep up with her property taxes. The home is also where the photographer grew up.
2018 - St. Albans, New York: Barbara Eubanks' living room curtains.
2016 - St. Albans, New York: Barbara Eubanks living room couch.
2018 - St. Albans, New York: The Ryland's guest room at their home in the Addisleigh Park historical district of St. Albans.
2018 - St. Albans, New York: Ms. Delia Vazquez' home on 112th Avenue. Ms. Vazquez, 65, purchased the home with her second husband, who passed a few years ago, in 2000. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, she arrived to the U.S at 17. Ms. Vazquez currently works for the United States Postal Service, where she has been for the last 38 years. During the U.S housing crisis, Ms. Vazquez nearly lost her home to foreclosure after a bank increased the interest of her mortgage. She is still in the process of receiving a modification.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Ms. Delia Vazquez in her home. Ms. Vazquez, 65, purchased the home with her deceased and second husband in 2000. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, she arrived in the U.S at 17. Ms. Vazquez currently works for the United States Postal Service, where she has been for the last 38 years. During the U.S housing crisis, Ms. Vazquez nearly lost her home to foreclosure after a bank increased the interest of her mortgage. She is still in the process of receiving a modification.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Ms. Vazquez' kitchen counter.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Mr. and Mrs. Isaac's home on Camden Avenue. The Isaacs' purchased their St. Albans home in 1980. Linda is a retired librarian and Edward, a Vietnam veteran, currently works as a college professor and sells insurance after previously working for Dow Jones for 29 years. The benefit of a Veterans Affairs mortgage, due to Mr. Isaacs' service, waived the downpayment on their home; making it more affordable to attain with the livable incomes provided in their careers. The Isaacs' are the presidents of the Camden Avenue Block Association and host several holiday parties.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Linda and Edward Isaac in their home. Mr. and Mrs. Isaac purchased their St. Albans home in 1980. Linda is a retired librarian and Edward, a Vietnam veteran, currently works as a college professor and sells insurance after previously working for Dow Jones for 29 years. The benefit of a Veterans Affairs mortgage, due to Mr. Isaacs' service, waived the downpayment on their home; making it more affordable to attain with the livable incomes provided in their careers. The Isaacs' are the presidents of the Camden Avenue Block Association and host several holiday parties.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: The Isaac's living room.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Mr. and Mrs. Isaac's fridge filled with Camden Avenue residents' family photos, which were gifted to them.
2017 - St. Albans, New York: Edward Isaac fixing the roof of his garage after learning to do so with the help of a tutorial on YouTube, an American video- sharing website.
2018 - St. Albans, New York: A churches fence on Farmers Boulevard.
