Thursday, July 12, 2012

Photo Essay: Chester, Pennsylvania

The image below is from a poignant set of photographs  shot by African-American photographer Basil-Malik. They were taken in a town called Chester. Let Basil-Malik describe the place to you...


"Chester, Pa, is a small town about 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia. It was a steel or industrial city but now it's a predominantly African-American city where the government and population fail each other. The school system is broken and feeds a vicious cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

There are attempts to revitalize the area with new homes and construction. There is a middle class but because there is no thriving industry supporting the tax base of the town, the school system suffers.

The only government you can count on in Chester and I have experienced this personally is the guarantee of Strong armed police tactics, abuse and false reports to justify arrest. 

I actually lived there 18 years ago when I fathered my son. His mother is a Chester

– Basil-Malik

 Click here to see the full set

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