Both of my grandfathers served in WWII. Sadly, there was no "Leavittown" for the Black, Red, Brown, and Yellow servicemen and women who faithfully served in the U.S. Armed Services during WWII. Leavittowns only continued the Jim Crow racism of the 1940's.
I appreciate you pointing this out. It's important to look closer at "the good life" and see who is excluded. Utopia is often built on top of the back of "the other". Paradise on stolen land with padlocked gates.
Wow this was such a wonderful watch. I'm doing a big writing project on Levittown and the American Dream right now and of course this was extraordinarily helpful and insightful, but I was surprised by the humanity and sharing and community of it all. Love it :)
I grew up in NYC and we used to make fun of Levittown with its cookie-cutter homes but now, 40 years later, and watching this video I realize what a great opportunity it was, especially for servicemen, to own their own homes. Levittown formed a close-knit community where everyone knew each other and people "didn't lock their doors." I'm sure it looks a lot different today from what it was back then but it was interesting to see how people were satisfied with so little. It was definitely the "American Dream." The folks interviewed here impressed me with how genuinely happy they were with what they had. I started watching the video out of curiosity but couldn't stop because it was so well done.
Your idealistic view of the story is cute but woefully willful in its blindness. The doors were unlocked and it's tragic their hearts never followed suit.
Okay, let me break it down for you: Their doors remained unlocked (open) but their hearts remained locked (closed) in terms of recognizing the systemic racism that kept so-called minority veterans and their families out.
@@brotherfugue god do u have to be so negative? All these adorable old people talking about their wonderful time and u have to think of systemic racism first? That’s such a bad outlook on life.
America you're seeing "the greatest generation" telling us their wonderful stories of how they started their families and got to experience "the American dream." PRICELESS! Simply priceless.
@@rmjd4573 When I referred to the "Greatest Generation" I was referring to ALL of the folks who lived through the "GREAT Depression" and later ALL who contributed to the War effort of WW2. They earned the right to live a happy life after all the misery they went through from 1929 to 1945. All they wanted was to raise a family in a safe neighborhood. Houses were VERY small but they didn't care. At least they could OWN a home where their children could safely play in the yard. All that is gone today unless you live in a gated community.
@@rmjd4573 Why did you ONLY mention "black" people. Think about ALL the other races that lived in NY. BLM is a sham and IS racist and very discriminatory because it ONLY mentions blacks. Stop playing into the leftist media's brainwashing. These folks were trying to escape the crime of the big city so they could raise their family in a quiet and SAFE neighborhood. Levittown was just that. America WAS a segregated nation back then. That's just the way it was back then. Today, there are many areas of America where you'll find one race of people living in an exclusive neighborhood.
@@rmjd4573 Certain cultures even today do NOT want to be around other minorities. Islamists are very careful who they associate with as are the some Oriental cultures. I know you're probably African-American. You have to remember that NOT only Black Americans were treated harshly but one race was treated the worst: the native American, yet they have their land. We have a long way to go in race relations but we have made A LOT of progress over the last 60 years. I will make a prediction, in the future in this country the races will be so intermixed that there no longer will be 100% of one race or another. One will have to go outside the US to find a "pure race."
@@rmjd4573 The day will come when it will be "a level playing field" for all. America is becoming so integrated now that racism will eventually fade or it just won't matter in the future. The republic IS failing and is doubtful if it will survive into the last half of the 21 Century much less 22 C. Perhaps Artificial Intelligence robots will play a much greater role in our society as we progress into the 21 C. You have a good one RMJ D. ✌😀
These people are so inspiring. They wanted very little for themselves, but for their children they wanted a private home out of the city, with a bedroom for the boys and another for the girls, a clean kitchen with home cooked meals, a living room for the whole family and a safe place to play outdoors. For this the men worked boring factory jobs and the women stayed home to keep house and care for the children, in the beginning it was with no car, no phone, no computer, no TV and mud being tracked in constantly. God bless them, they were happy and satisfied!
This is wonderful. We moved into a similar brand new neighborhood in Florida 1962. Everyone was professional, polite, good jobs. All owners had pride of ownership and were so happy and enthusiastic about the suburban neighborhood way of life. No doors were ever locked and on weekends kids usually had lunch at whatever house was closest to where you were at noon... even homeowners who didn’t have kids would feed you a sandwich and a glass of milk... it was a dream.
It was a dream for privilege 🇪🇺 this documentary is an complete disgrace of the evils in the United States 🇺🇸 government, shameful so unfair an unequal on every level against colour people.
Back when people were satisfied, even fulfilled, with just having "enough". No 5 bedroom 7 bath 3 car garage jobs for a family of 3 and a 15 year mortgage that requires 3 full time jobs so a family can barely scrape by living on soft credit at 19.5%. Until we learn again to be content with what we need and each to EARN their own way for their families themselves, the American dream will remain permanently on life support
Stacy Stalstone Today people have to have so much room to "entertain". The one man said nobody complained that things were too small. They had family and friends and enjoyed life. It can be done.
While I agree with your point to a certain extent, I find that finding a smaller, more modest house to live in is practically impossible in this area. I would love to downsize - but the only houses available around here are McMansions. =( Smaller houses are snapped up so fast, and sell for high prices. Builders stuff giant houses on tiny lots in order to make more money. There is a dearth of modest housing for sale, and it's so desperately needed.
Don't live beyond your means...seems to be lost on people nowadays. Wasnt lost on me though my dinky little ranch home is paid for I am 52 my wife is 42. And we live well.
Eh I kinda think those homes are prettier ngl. What we need is a sense of community in the suburbs again. Mcmansions are wonderful but we really need to be as friendly with our neighbors as these people were
Actually you're missing a huge ingredient, back then wages were more balanced against inflation, but these days it is way off. So that means it is extremely difficult for a household to make it on one income. And these folks had other great advantages, no one of color could buy there.
So true...... I wish our government would do what they are designed to do or give the power back to the people. Because our government is against us they are no longer helping us only destroying us and dividing us more and more every day
Yes but veterans too need to stop voting for those who screw them over. Trump stole $ from a veterans charity and mocked veterans like John McCain and was a dodge drafter.
Levittown PA here. Great place to be a kid. In my small section of 48 houses, 8 of them were bought by the children from the parents (original owners). One of them has a third generation owner.
What is often left out of many reports on Levittown’s history is that the whites only covenant was a requirement of government and other lending agencies at the time and not specific to just Levittown. A shameful part of American history often attributed to Levitt & Sons because of the vastness of the development. There was little or no housing available for returning veterans of WWII and Levitt provided 17,400 homes at affordable prices. Money was needed to do that and the company had to comply with the demands of the lending agencies. Our goal as a society is to see that this kind of discrimination is never allowed to occur again.
Don't ignore the fact that the lenders were just following the dictates of society at the time. Many neighborhoods around the country had rules against selling or renting to anyone who was not "white", Jews (of any color!) or Hispanics. One often found other restrictions, such as doing no yard work or laundry on Sundays to observe the Christian Sabbath. Many towns banned any stores opening on Sundays too. Only services like hospitals, police, and fire operated. Times have changed.
@@IndependentBear Times have not changed that's what also is being omitted ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WlQw7HlpHp8.html. By the time the Fair Housing Act was passed the damage was done it would African Americans many who fought and died for a country that treated them like nothing 287 years to build the wealth whites were and are still able to build through home ownership.
I was 6 years old when we moved into the Elderberry section of Levittown in 1952. We were the first owners. I lived there thill my senior year in Pennsbury High School in 1962. I was never aware of racial discrimination in the selling practices till viewing some documentaries the past several years. We've come a long, long way in racial relations as a nation. On balance, it was a great place to grow up, safe and congenial neighbors.
I grew up in a development exactly - let me say that again...EXACTLY.....like this, although it was a different developer and it was 10 years later, but this story is precisely the story of my childhood neighborhood. Interestingly enough, many of us kids who grew up together in our development have stayed in touch like a family over a lifetime. I shared this video on FB with the kids in my "family."
Treated "right" if you were part of the club. If you were non-white, non-heterosexual, non-christian...you were treated like crap. Are you referring to the veterans of the republican party's invasion of Iraq---the nonsensical "war" based on false premises (remember, Weapons of Mass destruction?) costing the nation $2 trillion plus and 1 million lives and disadvantaged the nation enormously?
A dream life that everyone desired back then. Great to know they lived a wonderful life, unlike people of color who were discriminated against didn't have the same luxury. 🙏🏽
Levittown reminds me of a subdivision that was built here in Fresno, Ca. It's called the "Mayfair District" At the end of the war my Dad was eight years old. He remembers there was basically a race for buyers. People camped out over night to be able to be first in line. I think all of the land had been Cotton Farms. It was basically the very far edge of town. Now the edge of town is t least fifteen miles or more past it.
My neighborhood is the same. A bunch of ranch homes built in mid 50s. You had your choice of 2 or 3 bedroom and basement or no basement. All still standing!!
And some of them were really small compared to today right, I read that some of them were only 750 ft²? For multiple rooms? Lol that's only like 120 square feet for each room
Edit: it seems most of the people interviewed have passed away. For those curious: Gus Preiser (1:40) passed away (him and his wife Louise Preiser lived at 8 Lilac Lane, she has since sold it and as far as I know is alive). Marion Gilbert (1:46) of 5 Woodpecker Lane has passed away. Betty DuBrul (1:50) of 11 Bobolink Lane is still alive. Helen Schnide (2:28) of 26 Bucket Lane has passed away. Gilbert Salvage (2:40) of 4 Saucer Lane has passed away, his wife Charlotte died before him. Dorothy and Fred Johs (2:45) have both passed away. Gloria Benson (2:56) of 26 Lilac Lane has passed away. Marian Bagnasco (3:05) of 3 Mallard Road has passed away. Polly Dwyer (3:11) is alive, head of the Levittown museum. Catherine Pietrantoni (5:22) of 290 Orchid Road has passed away.
That's why it was so important to create this documentary when they did. The original owners knew the history and what this community was like when it was created first hand. These are all wonderful stories and now documented for future generations.
I saw this on the last day of school (june 25) and it’s almost time for school to start again (sept 1st) I saw in social studies and I decided to come back to this thx to my social studies teacher who showed me the videos I was interested in coming back to
I am as well. Although that was Levittown PA, one woman just mentioned her home was in Levittown NY. So it very well may be the same owners but it may be another Levittown community.
If you're here to talk about it why not find out the facts. Levittown was not the only place that discriminated. Real estate owners, builders, and local and federal laws, all across America, kept African Americans from buying housing in white neighborhoods. Levitt would not have been granted federal loans to build without agreeing that no blacks could buy. It didn't end until the 1968 when the Equal Housing Act passed.
@@olive3700 Yeah, trust me.....WE KNOW just how racist people were, and still are, all across the country. But Levittown on Long Island was a uniquely hostile place to non-white residents, ESPECIALLY Blacks.
I don't think this is going to be mentioned. But it's important to mention for accuracy's sake. African Americans, even those who fought in the war, were not allowed for buy homes here. Yes, despite it being a government program for veterans. Black people we're not allowed in
Do you know the underlying reason for the "no Blacks allowed"? The banks were behind the concept. They would not loan to the builders if they were going to sell to not only whites.
Do you know the underlying reason for the "no Blacks allowed"? The banks were behind the concept. They would not loan to the builders if they were going to sell to not only whites.
And underlying THAT reason would be 1. FHA racist regulations (redlining) 2. Levitt's own "white flight" life experience and 3. rampant racism in America.
If you watched the original documentary about Levittown, you'll recognize some of these folks as the intensely racist original homeowners in Levittown. I wish the documentarian had delved into the question of whether their attitudes changed over the past 60 years.
There are actually four Levittowns: New York, New Jersey(now called Willingboro), Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico. The Myers family lived in Levittown Pa. We are integrated here and have no problems.
The one in Puerto Rico was actually a whole different company I think, not even related to the original owners, they just used the name or maybe paid to use the name
Stone Lane.- 1966. - Center Lane Village Green. Danny Boy Farms was the market at the Green. Wisdom Lane Elementary school Blue Grass Lane Pool. Hempstead Tpke. JW Mays department store. LMHS, Hitch hiking to Jones Beach on the Wantagh Parkway, The Greatest parts of my life.
What they were afforded is exactly what EVERY race wants. There was absolutely no reason why this so-called experiment couldn't have been nationwide. None whatsoever. i just cannot help feeling conflicted with emotion. While i so enjoyed hearing their idealistic stories of community, fairness and friendship, i cannot help feeling embittered. Why can't the government care for everyone equally?? Whether a citizen is white or black. Rich or poor.
Blake Gildaphish as tragic as it was people were just racist back then. Now days we know better and aren't but back then it was horrible. The problem if you are tying to use modern day values to understand 1940s values and the two don't align.
Don’t you mean what every person wants, not every “race wants?” Do you think racism is any less-horrible now? I do not think so. Trump has given the worst-of-the worst permission to come out from under the rocks where they’d been hiding for decades. He has his supporters supporting his separating families and imprisoning children, then blaming the parents, and his racist morons repeat everything he says. Can we call them Nazis yet? #TheyAre
I understand your point. Gov could. Levitt and sons wasn't gov and I feel more wealthy people should do more. Especially sports and celebrities.... I was born in Levittown. 1965
Levitt and sons had a government contract to build those homes. Any GI of color who applied was told that 'no negros applications were excepted'. That's was from the realtors that were honest! That's America 🇺🇸 😢.......
I grew up in the same time frame next door to Levittown in East Meadow when it was mostly potato farms. I can relate to all that was said...........those were the days! Now, I'm as proud to be a Texan as they are to be Levittowners. Lived in the south since I graduated high school in '66 to include the military and South Vietnam, Memphis, Tn. for ten years and Houston, Tx. for forty three years and I wouldn't trade the south for anything in New York!
@@johnbernstein203 Well, narrow mind is one way to put it, although I think I'm actually pretty open-minded, just a preference as to where I would want to live. And I will be moving, just a matter of where.
It is so inspiring to know they had something affordable to live in after the war, my gosh couldn't have housed everyone & they wanted to have children too!
For those able to participate in the program, it was extradionary support from the Federal government, local banks. It was meaningful for those families.
October 1,1947 my parents and brother moved into 47 James Lane, one of the very first families to take occupancy...I would be born one year later and enjoy the first 5 years of my life in Levittown before moving away....
@@SimonCUI think you mean the Myers family from Levittown, PA. Not Levittown, Long Island. It was terrible what was done to that family. I live in Levittown, Pa. I wasn’t born yet when the Myers family first moved in their house in the Dogwood Hollow section of Levittown, Pa Bucks County. Google if you want the whole, horrible story of what happened to William and Daisy Myers when they moved into lily white Levittown, Pa in 1957. 😪
@@Nan-1017 yes that's the place and family. What year were you living there and did that family already moved? Maybe some of the people living there when you were there knew the Myers.
@stlgtrace Thee were NO "adjacent properties" at the time Levittown was built, and covenants prevented the ownership of homes. There were very strategic efforts to devalue communities that saw Blacks moving in, so you may want to look into THAT before making such misinformed statements.
I'm from the next town over - I had no idea the backyards were initially adjoined and open - about what year did the fences start going up? I can only imagine the cultural changes, some wanted privacy - perhaps a place to corral a family dog, but it started to close people off.
Yes I wonder as well, although from what I read I don't think it took too long, because of privacy concerns, people wanting to install swimming pools, etc. What also blows me away are the underground oil thanks, I think that's what she's mentioning at 8:10 in the video, a tank of oil for $20! Can you imagine how much leakage there would be over the years if those things weren't maintained or dug out? That's wild.
@@brotherfugue actually all neighborhood build by the levit brothers were all meant to be for white buyers only. Even it's the wrong state, if it was built by Levit brothers that means it's a white neighborhood. Levit brothers were racists.
@@SimonCU Damn, just admit that you responded to the wrong video. Things like this happen when we don't pay full attention to detail. You drove all the way to the pizza parlor and there was no basement.
I stopped watching this video somewhere in the middle when no one spoke about racism that was prevalent in this neighborhood at that time, and how residents have changing attitudes
Wow, what a fantastic doc! It's good to see one that talks about the good experiences instead of those that only focus on the hubbub people had about race. These are lovely people. I'd love to go back in time and live there during that time, mowing with a reel mower, helping and depending on your neighbors, simple get-togethers on patios. The Levittowns' beginnings were some of the greatest places and times in history.
The house I grew up in was in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was built in 1967 and sold originally for $12,550. Fast forward to 2024 there is one original owner left on the street. They paid about the same for theirs when they were first married, today it's worth about $850,000 dollars. Wouldn't it be great (for buyers) if the over inflated value of real estate matched the inflation of the rest of goods and services people buy regularly today?
@@shaggyaxeyea, but I’ve also herd interviews with Billy saying it was called Allentown because of the college towns up the turnpike that way (towards Allentown) where he played a lot when he was first starting out. But I’ve also heard what you said too…so could it be both? Who knows…😊
I am happy for them. It is the same thing every other family wanted. As a veteran, glad they were treated properly. Although they may have been part of the 1957 mob photo of thousands of Levittown neighbors who showed up to protest the black families moving in, they seem like nice people otherwise.
The racist mob that attacked the African American family (the Meyers) was from Levittown, Pennsylvania, not Levittown, New York. This documentary is about Levittown, NY.
@@Richard-zd8pg you are correct. We did a paper many years ago about Levittown and i got the cities mixed up. The name is wring but the uncidents were similar. Look up clause 25 which did not alliw blacks and the trouble they encountered when even trying to see the homes. There ate articles about Levitttowns othet than PA. NY is mentioned often also. Nevertheless, it was a long time ago and people who weren't affected by it probably wouldn't remember. That's life.
I waited 28mins and they didn't say a word. I guess they were too racist to remember the Myers. Most of those people don't want to think about black people.
@@SimonCU Apparently Mrs. Myer wrote a book about her family's experiences in Levittown, I'd like to read it but I can't find anywhere to buy it online.
@@seligfykspert9387 Back in the days of slavery, black people were assigned surnames by their owners. Not only that, but non of us has the ability to pick a surname, we're simply born with it as you well know. I doubt the Myers give a single fuck that they have a German surname, it's only insane morons like you that put their nose in that business apparently.
Richmond american homes build this way now, everythings included. Sold my 5bed, 4bth home in so. Calif for 912k, turned around, with 445k bought cash a new home in Nevada. Mortgage free, retired .
Actually everyone looked out for everyone else's kids- they were all everywhere at once- no fences allowed in the early days Plus it wasn't crawling with molesters and kidnappers either a different universe from today
Yeah and see that's the key, some of these people who kept their home forever, their property taxes were maybe always based off of the last time it was sold so they probably got to pay very little property tax over all those decades. As soon as it sells, BAM the property is reset at the new selling price.
What was it about these people that despite being poor and disadvantaged they managed to not only thrive but made a small utopia, today billions are spent on housing projects for the poor and even money food medicine and mobile telephones are free, yet a few months after construction they resemble a war zone or bombed out city full of crime, what was the one unique thing about these people that enabled them to thrive? Some common characteristic must be there in these people, just cant figure it. Would be great if we could figure it out because so many cities are no longer habitable L.A. New York Chicago Philadelphia Seattle, If we could figure out what the one unique thing about these people was then we could fix so many social ills.
It is simply called lack of appreciation & not wanting what is offered, but tearing it up, because it isn't what I should have & it is called being grateful in life!
semectual looks the same, the houses are still standing, but have probably seen there fair share of remodeling, painting, reconstruction. You can look it up on Google maps Street view. Search Levittown PA or Levittown NY.
Great....if you were white, christian and heterosexual. Imagine if two black lesbians tried to buy one of Levitt's little dream bungalows. Post WW2 was a unique (and prosperous) era for the nation, particularly for those in the exclusive set (i.e., (white, christian, heterosexual) but remember, the era EX-cluded all others. Fortunately, those days are over.
That's a strange comment. Out of the 16 million servicemen and women that were inlisted in ww2 about 80% were white. I think it's safe to say this isn't exactly the best situation for the race card. Seeing that the "racist white man" made all that you see in the United states possible, I would say it's ok for us to have a place to live.
American made actually it is. Suburbs built in the 1950 and 60s denied home ownership to African Americans even black veterans. The Levittown company that built the suburbs advertised its homes only to whites. The company was forced to integrate or be denied federal funding.
Why don’t you watch crisis in Levittown video??? Verbiage clear homeowners were NOT allowed to sell to any non Caucasian persons. I love how info is available in your face but you choice not to see or hear it👎🏾
@@beautyinthedark7406 you've got it all wrong I just don't care. I don't want to live next to non caucasians. I actually like living in a nice neighborhood. Your saying these comments like I'm oblivious to what it was like. I like my people and like living around my people. I don't get why you people don't go make your own nice shit. Instead if wanting ours 👍
Amazing that people will try to criminalize people for wanting a better life for their children but looking at the world today its clear these people dont have the best interest of children at heart
This was fabulous. So glad this was created so their is first person revords and stories from the original owners. Thank you sll for your service for our country, as well. 🫡🇺🇲
I came across this video by chance. This is yet another example of the privilege that white Americans don't realize they have enjoyed in this country for centuries. These houses in Levittown are now worth a quarter million, even with very modest updates. Too bad minority G.I.s were explicitly denied this "wonderful opportunity". To not acknowledge the discriminatory practices of the builder of Levittown is to be complicit in denying that such blatant acts of bigotry ever took place. I am glad these people have such fond memories, yet not a single one mentioned the builder's denial of minorities in his community of homes? That could not have been a secret, especially considering that owners had to sign an agreement stating they would not sell their homes to non-white buyers. Perhaps this is only a snippett of a longer more in-depth film, and the issue of discrimination is indeed addressed. However, if this is the film in its entirety, it is extremely biased and typical of many recent historical accounts that paint an idyllic, yet false view of an America of bygone years. If one is going to recount history, then please, tell ALL of the story; this means the good AND the bad. Thank you.
@@markprevatt9138 I wonder if the women even knew? They don't normally sign the contracts so I'm not sure what they knew and what they didn't know. I did hear about some woman complaining about "colored folk" in her neighborhood but I'm not sure if that was Levittown.
@@mr.balloffur Oh, they knew.....the following video shows that even though they may not have been "signing the contracts", they were WELL aware of the racial dynamic of their day. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xXQQ9o3R-Rc.html
