Black Brooklyn

About the Book

“Black Brooklyn: The Politics of Ethnicity, Class and Gender,” is a story about the oldest, largest, most diverse Black urban community in North America. With a million people in nine communities and nearly a half million voters, it has impacted county, State and national elections and public policy. This work analyzes Black Brooklyn along the lines of its ethnic similarities and differences; socio-economic class, gender and intergenerational dynamics; and other internal and external influences. Using historical analysis, elite interviews and election and demographic analysis, this work shows how these factors influence the political behaviors of African Americans and Caribbean Americans: who they vote for (“candidate choice”); their levels of political participation (“voter turnout”); and why, they vote the way they do. Soon, 80 percent of the world population will reside in cities, largely of color. Better understanding urban democracies, their people, politics and governance is a key to sustainable cities of the future. This Black Brooklyn study provides a solid path to the future. Visit www.johnflateau.com

About the Author

Dr. John Flateau is a Professor of Public Administration and Political Science at Medgar Evers College of The City University Of New York. He previously served as Vice President and Dean of Institutional Advancement; Public Admin. Department Chair; and Dean of the Business School which achieved national ACBSP accreditation. Dr. Flateau currently directs the US Census Information Center, the DuBois Bunche Center For Public Policy; the New York Clearinghouse on the 2020 Census, Voting Rights and Redistricting; and he directs a team of CUNY Service Corps research assistants. He previously co-directed the Brooklyn International Trade and Development Center; Brooklyn Empowerment Zone initiative; and MEC Educational Foundation. He is a Fellow of the National Academy Of Public Administration. His current research includes economic and demographic research on Brooklyn Caribbean Immigrant communities, with the Caribbean Research Center; analysis of Black New Yorker’s struggle for Political Equality, with the NYU Stafford Project on Inequality; principal investigator on a Brooklyn Health Care Reform project with MIT and the Maimonides Medical Center; and he is a member of the President’s Advisory Committee, Nat’l Assn. Of Health Service Executives-NY Chapter. John has helped raise and administer millions in academic research and program grants; funds for student scholarships, faculty development, and MEC’s capital and operating budgets. Funders include US HUD, DOT and Dept. of Commerce; the NY State Legislature and NY City Council; New York Community Trust, Deutsche Bank Foundation, CUNY Research Foundation, National Science Foundation and others. On a CUNY public service leave, Dr. Flateau served as senior policy advisor to the State Senate Democratic Majority; Deputy Secretary for Intergovernmental Relations; and Member of NYS Legislative Advisory Task Force On Demographic Research And Reapportionment. Other public service includes: Chief Of Staff and campaign coordinator for Mayor David N. Dinkins, New York’s first and only Black Mayor; NYS Empire State Development Corporation, Senior Vice President and chief diversity officer; Executive Director, NYS Black, Hispanic, Asian Legislative Caucus; and Principal Research Analyst, NYS Commission on Health Education & Illness Prevention. Dr. Flateau heads a multidisciplinary consulting practice with expertise in health care research, minority business and economic development, education policy and programs, non-profit management, campaigns and election administration, voting rights and legislative redistricting, public policy, census demographic research and public affairs. He is a Commissioner, NYC Board Of Elections; and Member, Diversity Board, NYC School Construction Authority. He is formerly: Commissioner, NYC Districting Commission; Chair, US Census Advisory Committee on Black Populations; member, National Conference Of Black Political Scientists; American Assn. of Political Consultants; and the NAACP. John earned a Ph.D. in Political Science, specializing in American Politics and Public Policy, Graduate Center, CUNY; Master of Philosophy in Political Science; Master of Arts in Urban Policy; Master’s in Public Administration, Baruch College, CUNY; and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, New York University. He comes from a distinguished family of public service; is a Trustee of Bridge St. AWME Church; and member of the Bedford Stuyvesant community. He received numerous honors and awards; is a public affairs commentator; and his published works include: The Prison Industrial Complex: Race, Crime & Justice in New York; Young Lives, American Dreams: Caribbean American and African American Youth of Brooklyn; Blackout? Media Ownership Concentration…; Amsterdam and New York: Learning From Each Other; Black Brooklyn: The Politics of Ethnicity, Class and Gender; and numerous briefs and governmental testimony on The Census, Voting Rights and Redistricting. Email: johnflateau@gmail.com