Thousands of Black people did not just disappear from Pittsburgh. Thousands of Black people did not just decide to up and leave Pittsburgh for no reason. They were pushed out. They were priced out. They were forced out.
This is the true legacy of the political establishment and developer class of Pittsburgh. There is absolutely nothing wrong with calling it out and demanding a different plan for the City of Pittsburgh.
There is absolutely nothing wrong or hateful with talking about how capitalism rewards the hoarding of wealth which has resulted in the mass expulsion of Black people from Pittsburgh’s city limits. If developers are unhappy with being held accountable for their harm, then they should change their practices as a developer and investor in Pittsburgh.
But they have not.
Actually, if developers are uncomfortable about the loudness of how impacted people are talking about their practices doing harm to Black people, then they should not have done them in the first place. In the second place, the developer class should invest in innovative ways to build and house communities. In 2025, there is no reason developers should be fighting making affordable housing for the whole entire city. There is no reason why working-class people should not be included in the architecture and design of a livable city of the future for Pittsburgh. Intentionally choosing to build developments outside of the price range for the average and median Black renter is a direct tell of developers wanting to eradicate Black people from living in the city.
Black people have every right to tell their story. From Penn Plaza to Bedford Dwellings to Mon View Heights, Black people in Allegheny County have a right to share their pain and name the developers who have harmed them.
(Miracle Jones is a community organizer and queer activist who works in the Pittsburgh area to advocate for equity along the intersections of gender, race, and class. She is a resident of Allentown.)
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