Description
The Pruitt-Igoe housing complex, a significant part of St. Louis’ history, is remembered by many older adults as a dark chapter in our civic narrative. The project gained national attention in 1972, when it deteriorated to such an extent and became a hub of crime, that the federal government was compelled to relocate all residents and demolish its 33 high-rises.
But families living there had formed a tight-knit community where they played, picnicked, and watched out for one another, especially regarding the kids. Now, many of those residents are battling to get the federal government to provide reparations for spraying toxic chemicals as part of a Cold War experiment that took place without their knowledge. Former Post-Dispatch reporter Richard H. Weiss has covered this story on behalf of the River City Journalism Fund.