The Black Archives Sheds Light on Surinamese Housing Conditions in 1970s Amsterdam
The Black Archives, a vital cultural institution focused on Black history and activism in the Netherlands, was featured in an AT5 broadcast that explored the challenging living conditions faced by Surinamese immigrants in Amsterdam during the 1970s. The program, "De Straten van Amsterdam" (The Streets of Amsterdam), revisited former pensions where many newcomers were forced to reside due to discriminatory housing practices.
Uncovering Housing Discrimination in 1970s Amsterdam
During the 1970s, as tens of thousands of Surinamese people arrived in Amsterdam, housing corporations actively excluded them from certain neighborhoods. This policy left many with few options beyond pensions, which often provided inadequate and overcrowded accommodation. The AT5 report highlights a significant, often overlooked, chapter in the city's social history, bringing attention to the systemic barriers faced by these new residents.
Personal accounts shared during the broadcast underscore the harsh realities of this period. Guilly Koster, a former resident of a pension on Hekelveld, described families living in cramped spaces separated only by makeshift curtains, with up to five people sharing a single room. Cynthia Shakison recounted how her family of nine lived in various pensions on Warmoesstraat, experiencing deeply unsanitary conditions where waste from overflowing tanks would frequently contaminate their living quarters. The full story, originally reported by AT5, details these challenging experiences faced by families.
The discussion around these historical injustices also ties into broader conversations about the legacy of slavery and its pervasive presence in history, as explored in another related piece by AT5 titled We must talk: 'History of slavery is visible everywhere'.
Revisiting History Through Media
The "De Straten van Amsterdam" program served as an important platform to revisit the physical locations and personal stories of this era. By featuring interviews with former residents and exploring the buildings that once housed these pensions, the broadcast provided a poignant look into a difficult period for many in Amsterdam. The complete broadcast of 'De Straten van Amsterdam' focusing on 'het Hekeltje' pension can be viewed online, offering a deeper understanding of these historical circumstances.
This type of historical exploration aligns directly with the mission of The Black Archives, which strives to preserve and share the rich and complex history of Black communities in the Netherlands. By highlighting such narratives, the archive helps ensure these significant cultural experiences and struggles are remembered and understood.
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