Member-only story
Gentrification Causes Spike in Black Amish
“Our ancestors were working these fields long before they were,” spoke Deshawn, one of the newest members of the Lancaster, PA, Amish community.
“They may have brought experience from the old country, but the land here runs in our bloodline.”
Deshawn is one of the many faces of the new black Amish. His family was forced out of nearby Philadelphia due to increasing housing prices, primarily driven by gentrification. But Deshawn continues, “yeah, it really sucks because I loved Philly, man. You know?”
The term gentrification comes from the 1800s in England, when Lord Gentry wanted to expand his fiefdom, making room for his same-colored friends and subjects. So Lord Gentry decided to “clean up” and “modernize” the area, meaning he hired a team of musket-wielding men to chase out the current occupants of the land. Locals referred to this as Gentry’s action, which today is called gentrification.
In today’s terms, the muskets have been replaced with eviction notices, but the enforcers still look the same: white, fat, and rich.
“I always paid my rent on time, even if I had to work three jobs,” says Deshawn. “And for what, man? A couple of coffee shops that serve avocado spread over toast. It seems so stupid.”
GREENER PASTURES
Lancaster, about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia, offers large fields of undeveloped land (meaning it lacks vape shops, bars, and apartment complexes). The residents of Lancaster are welcoming, if not a bit camera shy. However, as with most white people, they are happy to entertain someone else taking over their labor.
Ezekiel, a longtime resident of Lancaster, said, “yeah, these new folks must have experience working the fields. You can tell by their dark tans.”
Albeit the old-country residents are a bit racist, they still seem eager to get along with their new neighbors. However, there was some reluctance to reveal the true “hustle” of the Amish culture.
Deshawn continues, “yeah, when we first got out here, we saw these old farmer-bob hillbilly-looking dudes making serious bank. Then, busloads of old white folks came shuffling through their barns to buy wooden lawn decorations and this shit…
