The Constructive House

For generations, mainstream narratives have painted Black communities with a broad brush of deficiency—fatherlessness, welfare dependence, crime, and cultural failure. These stereotypes aren’t just inaccurate; they’re distractions. They shift blame from the systems that created inequality to the people most affected by it. At The Constructive House , we believe in building—not blaming. And that starts with reframing the conversation. The Myth of Deficiency Spend five minutes online and you’ll hear it: “Black people need to fix themselves.” But the data tells a different story. Over 85% of Black households have at least one employed adult. Black fathers who live with their children are the most involved of any racial group, according to the CDC. Most Black families receive no public assistance at all. The issue isn’t work ethic—it’s ownership. And that gap wasn’t created by laziness. It was engineered. Policy Over Personality From redlining to unequal education funding, federal and loca...

   In the middl e of downtown Houston — not far from the glass towers and busy freeways — lies a neighborhood most people pass without a second thought. But look closer. Under your feet, those red bricks aren’t just streets. They’re history. This is Freedmen’s Town — a neighborhood built by formerly enslaved Black people after the Civil War. They laid every single brick by hand. They built homes, churches, schools, and businesses. Most of all, they built freedom . A Place Built From Freedom After slavery ended in 1865, newly freed Black families had to start over with nothing. No land. No protection. No help from the government. But what they did have was each other — and a deep desire to live free. So they moved west of Houston’s bayou, bought land, and created their own community. That place became known as Freedmen’s Town. It was more than just a place to live — it was a place to thrive. They didn’t wait for freedom to be given. They built it themselves. Black Excelle...

Bronzeville was once the heart of Milwaukee’s Black community. It was full of life, music, businesses, and dreams. But in the 1960s, the city tore it apart — calling it “urban renewal.” This is the story of how a thriving neighborhood was erased, and how its legacy still lives on. 🚂 From the South to Milwaukee In the early 1900s, many Black families moved from the South to cities in the North. This movement was called the Great Migration. People were looking for better jobs, safer neighborhoods, and a chance to live with dignity. Milwaukee was one of those cities. But even in the North, racism didn’t go away. Black families were pushed into small areas of the city. In Milwaukee, they were forced into a district near downtown. That area became known as Bronzeville. Even though they were boxed in by unfair laws and housing rules, the people of Bronzeville built something beautiful. Churches like St. Mark AME and Calvary Baptist became places of hope. Families supported each other. Neigh...