Arnold R. Hirsch (1949–2018) was an American historian whose research reshaped understanding of urban segregation and housing policy in the United States. He is best known for the book Making the Second Ghetto: Race and Housing in Chicago, 1940–1960, a widely cited study that traces how public and private choices after World War II reconstructed racial boundaries in northern cities. Hirsch combined close archival work with urban history to show how institutions and policies produced unequal living patterns that endured for decades.
Major work and themes
Making the Second Ghetto examines the period after 1940 when demographic shifts, government housing programs, real estate markets and municipal planning in Chicago interacted to produce intensified segregation. Hirsch argued that this era represented a distinct phase—the "second ghetto"—in which legal, administrative and economic mechanisms reinforced residential separation even as overtly discriminatory laws were challenged. The book is regarded as a foundational text for scholars of race, housing and urban policy.
Approach and contributions
Hirsch's scholarship emphasized institutions and processes rather than individual prejudice alone. He used municipal records, real estate documents, court cases and contemporary media to document how federal agencies, banks, local governments and neighborhood actors shaped who could live where. Key contributions include:
- Showing how public programs and private practices combined to maintain racial boundaries.
- Highlighting the role of local politics and planning decisions in producing unequal outcomes.
- Demonstrating the long-term urban consequences of mid‑century housing policy debates.
Career and influence
Hirsch taught for many years at the University of New Orleans, where he held the Ethel and Herman L. Midlo Endowed Chair for New Orleans Studies. His work influenced historians, sociologists, legal scholars and planners interested in urban inequality and civil rights. Students and colleagues have noted his careful use of sources and his ability to connect policy histories to lived experiences in American cities.
Life and legacy
Born in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, Hirsch retained a lifelong interest in the history of northern urban communities; his roots were often reflected in his work and teaching about Chicago and comparable cities. He died in 2018 from complications of Lewy body dementia in Oak Park, Illinois, at age 69. His early years in Rogers Park and his scholarly contributions continue to be referenced in discussions of housing justice and urban policy.