Ethnographic/Observational study

Friday December 11, 2009 I went to Pennsylvania Avenue to observe the neighborhood. It was about 7:30 pm, so it was dark. Just using my common sense, I had a friend travel with me. As we walked down the street, I saw three cop cars and one ambulance truck. The sirens were loud. I looked to the right and left of me and I didn’t see anything but apartment buildings. Some of the buildings were boarded up. There were lots of people standing around the yellow caution tape. “Back up! We need you to back up!” The police officer screamed. Although I was only on Pennsylvania Avenue for fifteen minutes, I had made the decision to leave. I’m not sure why the police and ambulance trucks were there, but it wasn’t a good decision for me to stick around and find out why. When I drove away from the Avenue, I felt somewhat saddened. During this research project, it felt good to learn that Baltimore had remarkable black history. Not only was Pennsylvania Avenue a home for Black’s, it was also a place where other races came to enjoy the entertainment, food, and fun. However, as I walked those same streets, I felt uncomfortable and the environment was negative. It made me believe the statement that all good things come to an end.