The Changing Face of Suburbia-July 18-19, 1992

As the sun rose over the sleepy suburban town of Norwood on July 18-19, 1992, a sense of change was in the air. For decades, Norwood had been a predominantly white community, but the tide was turning. A wave of young black families had begun to forsake the growing violence and failing city schools of Boston for the promise of a better life in the suburbs.

Ida and Nelson Mason, who had moved to Norwood in 1972, had watched as the town struggled to come to terms with its changing demographics. “Blacks seek haven from city,” read the headline in The Patriot Ledger, highlighting the growing trend of black families seeking refuge in suburban communities like Norwood.

Donna Weaver, a 39-year-old administrative assistant, was one such family. She had moved to Norwood four years ago, fleeing the violence and crime that plagued her neighborhood in Dorchester. “My whole thing was to find a decent place to live where I felt safe — not only me, but also my daughter,” she said.

Weaver was not alone. Hundreds of other black families had made the same decision, drawn by Norwood’s promise of safety, good schools, and affordable housing. The town’s population had grown from 13,000 in 1980 to over 16,000 just a decade later, with many of these new residents being black.

But as the black population grew, so did tensions between black and white residents. Racist incidents began to surface, including graffiti on school buildings, anti-black stickers posted downtown, and alleged bias in the schools. Black parents were alarmed, while whites were upset by what they saw as an attempt to “divide” the community.

Bruce Mahaffey, a black cellular telephone salesman who had moved his family to Norwood from Boston in 1980, was one of those who spoke out against racism. “We face racism seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” he said. “What are you going to do? Move to the next town? Keep running? You have to deal with it.”

Despite these challenges, many black residents chose to stay in Norwood, drawn by its promise of opportunity and community. Nelson Mason, who had moved his family to Norwood from Dorchester in 1974, was one such resident. “We’re all different,” he said, reflecting on the diversity of the town’s black population.

But not everyone shared this optimism. Theresa Kelly, a black administrative assistant who had moved to Norwood from Chelsea five years ago, spoke out against racism and what she saw as a lack of support for black residents. “There’s lots of opportunity down there for black families,” she said, referring to Atlanta, where she planned to move with her family.

As the town struggled to come to terms with its changing demographics, one thing was clear: Norwood was no longer an all-white community. The minority population had grown from 1% in 1980 to over 3% just a decade later, with many of these new residents being black.

But as the town’s elected leaders dismissed the racist incidents as “pranksters” or “out-of-towners,” it was clear that much work remained to be done. Black residents spoke out against racism and what they saw as a lack of support for their community. “There is little more than half (of white residents) that welcomes you, and that’s what keeps us here,” said Kathleen Rose-Jones, a black speech therapist who had moved to Norwood six years ago from Ohio.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger