In this lesson, students will learn about Durham’s Hayti community, which was once one of the most unique and successful black communities in America. In this lesson, students will learn how Hayti flourished from the 1880s to the 1940s and became known as the “The Black Capitol of the South.” Students will then place themselves in the year 1958, when the Durham Redevelopment Commission was formed and proposed a plan to “renew” Hayti, which had fallen into disrepair by the 1950s. Students will participate in a mock public hearing in which they grapple with the pros and cons of the urban renewal proposal and ultimately, they will decide whether or not to implement the plan. Afterwards, students will explore the actual decision made to implement the renewal plan, as well as the impact urban renewal had on Hayti.