top of page

Boston's South End

In this in-depth community history, Russ López chronicles the dynamic social, cultural, and architectural evolution of Boston’s South End. Blending historical research with sharp urban insight, the book explores how immigration, housing, identity, reinvention, and activism shaped the neighborhood over time.

Boston's South End by Russ Lopez cover
Boston

"López not only challenges the established narrative — he redefines it, offering a complex and illuminating story of the South End over time."

What People Are Saying About Boston's South End

Tom Nutt-Powell

"This does a really good job of conveying the nature and evolution of Boston's South End. Having worked on some of the housing efforts described (notably late 1960s with Mel King) I know how on the mark the author is."

Articles and Videos About Boston's South End

Six Books for Understanding Boston's South End
Emmanuel Gospel Center Logo

This article highlights Boston’s South End as a key book for understanding the neighborhood’s history, activism, and ongoing transformation.

Book Review: Boston's South End
Boston's South End cover

This review examines Boston’s South End, highlighting its nuanced analysis of neighborhood conflict, activism, and urban change.

The Beehive: Massachusetts Historical Society
Historical Boston

This Massachusetts Historical Society review highlights Boston’s South End as an important and well-researched contribution to the understanding of Boston’s urban history.

Boston Neighborhood News

Russ López discusses The Hub of the Gay Universe in a Boston Neighborhood News interview, reflecting on Boston’s LGBTQ history and the communities that shaped it.

Reading Group & Book Club Guide

This brief guide for Boston's South End invites readers to explore how history, power, and community shaped one of Boston’s most complex and contested neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Identity:

​

How did the South End’s identity evolve across different eras of growth, decline, and reinvention?

Power and Politics:

​

What roles did government policy, urban renewal, and political leadership play in shaping the neighborhood?

Community Activism

​

How did residents organize to resist displacement and influence decisions about their community?

Race and Class​
​

How did race, class, and inequality affect who benefited—and who paid the costs—of change?

Preservation and Change​
​

What tensions emerge between historic preservation, development, and affordable housing?

bottom of page