HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Cornelius Corky Dozier-Historic Perspective of the Shotgun House411
Submitted into the publi
record f r ite ( �-
on City Clerk
o
f'
THE HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE OF THE SHOTGUN HOUSE '
We believe the shotgax !rouse is hLooricaMy &Wxykant becaiww they are twsag Ae prat
arauxples ofAf lean architecture iw dbe Ung So"
The naive "shotguux"nay have originated from the Africa's Southern Dahomey Fox area term,
to -gun, which means, "place of assembly" or "shogux' : In WestAfrica'shogun"means "God's
House!
The African past through its communal space and design and sacred meanings of its foray"
creates a "domestic temple" that proWdes spiritual proovdox, along w0 family eons
Spiritrral ty has always run deep in the Black community. A 'shogon" was more than jam a
home. It was the spiftd center of the family unit Home is a place where everything comes
together around faith and family.
If the family represexts the soul of the community, then the house & the soul's vessel In West
African cukuny rdigious rituals made clear the belief thai - the home - coxtained the soul of
the ancestors.
The idea of a house form 6 closely associated with the way a pevpk seek to order their world
The design of die house draws individual family members into prolonged daily contact the front
porch, and the placA uW of shotguns in dghdy spaced rows in urban areas supported
1etervanxecdon between people and gave neighbors a strong sense of community.
The earliat models for the shoom house cluoriy can be braced to West Afdm It 6 an
architect ural form that enslaved Africans, parde kw& the Yoruba, brought with them to the
conaWn of the Caribbean and to the United States. It was a form that jb&% ad pkydod
ova F enne.�tc and emotional intimacy - two values that laid the fouxiistion upox which these
A fideaaxs' new architecture was designed.
We Be1kre ... The Shotgun Souse Is the Original Affordable "WorWoree"Housing.
These structures cxmplify a type of working clam housing style that was common in black
urban xeighborhoods during the late 19th and early 2&* centuries
Perhaps the genuine reason shortgun houses appeared in the United States 6 a matter of
economy. A quints +antral part of the American Dream 6 to own a home. A shotgun house
could be an Fordable dwdling, one that afforded its inhabitants a measure of dignity.
The early Africax Bahamian pioneers settled Ikeuselva kilo clusters of ,freedmen, and
were the jbw Black "phwemakers" in Miami,
y'h�4-s�h���\-Cotnel,�5 �0��(� I�oZ,c�-�,�0�,� Qe�sQe��,�e a� �ne 5�►�-gon�v�e
Submitted into the pub '
record fo ite s
City Clerk
on . �.
l
THE HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE OF THE SHOTGUN HOUSE
We belewe the shogun house Is historically skpdfiCaa d bmawt dhey are among Mejbw
examplas ofAfricon ardhiwecdare In the United States.
77m mina "shogun "may have odgMated frofi die Africa's Southern Daboney FOA arca terve,
hi,gun, which means, `placeofamembly"or "shoguw'�In WastAfrica "shogun'means "God's
House':
The Afi*m past through its communal space and dwigm and sacred mmWngs of its form,"
creates a "domew* temple" chat provides spiritual protecdox, along wM family eonnectadness.
Spirituality has always run deep In the Black community. A "shogon" was more than just a
home: It was the spiritual center of the family unit Home is a place when everything comes
together around faith and family.
If thefamMy represents the soul of the community, thea the house is the soul's vessel In West
African eultum religious rituals made dear the belief dud-- the home — contained the soul of
the ancestors.
The idea of a house form Is desdy associated with the way a people seek to order their world
The design of the house draws individual family members Into prolonger) daily contact the front
porch, and the placement of shoguns In dghdy spaced rows In urban areas supported
Interconne don between people and gave neighbors a strong sense of eommuaitlt
The ea►Baat modds for dhe shogun house dearly can be traded to West Africa It Is an
orcbitedtural form that enslaved Africans, particaWy the Yoruba, brought with them to the
countries of the Caribbean and to the United States. B was a form dw fosbred physical
togetherness and emotional intimacy — two values that Idd the foundation upon which these
Africans' new archbodure was designed
We Bdewa ... The Shotgun House Is the Original Affordable '"Workforce" Housing.
These structures exemplify a type of working dans houslrig styli that was common In black
urban neighborhoods during the late 19th and aufy 201h av tale
Perhaps the gexWw reason shotgun houses appeared is the United States Is a matter of
economy. A quintessential part of the Americom Dream is to own a home. A shoom house
could be an affordable dwdliag, one dint offended by inhabitants a measure ofdignity.
The early African Bahamian plane= setted themselves into dusters of f ee dmen, and
were the jirot Black 'placemakers" Is Miami,