The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power

The concept of collective memory, a social construct that is shaped and maintained by shared social interactions and group dynamics, was developed by French philosopher Maurice Halbwachs. Halbwachs argued that an individual’s memory is not isolated, but is instead deeply intertwined with social frameworks and collective representations. Collective memory, therefore, is a product of shared experiences, narratives, and cultural practices within a particular social context. It is maintained and reinforced through social processes such as collective rituals, commemorative practices such as street signs, and cultural artifacts. These shared practices and symbols help solidify and transmit a group’s historical, cultural, and social identity.

In his influential book The Image of the City, urban planner Kevin Lynch introduced five key elements, or map markers, that shape people’s cognitive maps of urban environments: paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks. Paths are the routes or linear elements that connect different locations within a city, such as streets, sidewalks, or even natural features like rivers or trails. Edges are the linear boundaries or barriers that demarcate different areas or separate one district from another, such as physical features like rivers, walls, or railways. Districts are identifiable regions or neighborhoods with common characteristics and functions, with a cohesive identity often recognized by locals and visitors alike. Nodes are strategic points or focal areas within the city, such as public squares, transportation hubs, or landmarks that act as gathering places. Finally, landmarks are prominent and easily recognizable features in the city, like iconic buildings, monuments, or distinct natural elements, which serve as reference points for mental mapping.