Constructing A Vernacular Narrative: Communal Memory of Boston\u27s West End

In this thesis, the construction of communal memory among residents of Boston\u27s West End was examined after they were displaced as a result of a the city\u27s urban renewal program of the mid-1950\u27s. The elements of the West Enders\u27 vernacular narrative were explored, as were the methods of constructing the narrative. Particular focus was given in Chapter Three to the West Ender newsletter, a community-run publication that served as an essential tool in connecting former residents after the West End diaspora and encouraging them to share stories and memories. Also considered was the opposing official narrative, as well as the social and political factors that influenced the planning of the West End redevelopment and the principle figures involved in the project