How racist is Chicago? (Macomb, Farmington: crime, houses, neighborhoods)

[MsBetty]

Hey everybody I haven't been on this forum in a long time... I'm a single, Black female, 23 years of age. My boyfriend and I are FINALLY seriously thinking about moving there within 8 months (hopefully) and we're from Detroit, Michigan.

Where are some ares that people don't favor Blacks too much? How racist is Chicago as a whole? I just need some honest answers from you guys...

Please keep in mind that I'm not suggesting that Chicago is racist, I just want to know what the residents think about this question!

[jwaiter]

It's a loaded question which presumes Chicago is already racist.

To answer your question, I don't know any areas that "don't favor Blacks too much" - you'll be welcome anywhere in the city presuming you are law abiding and have the ability to get along well with others, which I might add, is the same for people of *any* race, creed or color.

[Alacran]

Blacks are more racist then whites.

[EastBoundandDownChick]

Well, as a Detroit native I believe that's the most racially segregated area of the country (look at how the city is like 90% black and the suburbs are primarily white). Chicago has its issues but doesn't come close IMO. I think that the major divide in many parts of the city isn't so much about color as it is about professional vs. nonprofessional. As long as you dress nicely, are polite, and carry yourself a certain way I don't think it really matters whether you're black, white, brown, blue, green, or purple. Good luck to you! I think you will find Chicago is an amazing place should you decide to move.

[Irishtom29]

I don't know, I hate people based on social class, political beliefs and religion.

[runninfree]

Originally Posted by Alacran

Blacks are more racist then whites.

Why? Cuz we hate black people too?

[andrew61]

There is racism in Chicago, but a lot of it is more covert these days. For example, I have acquaintances who will mutter about [insert plural N-word here] and how they hate them in private, but will be completely different to someone's face.

All in all, I think it's more of a class/cultural/behavior thing, though, as one above poster said. People will hate someone more for their style than for their race per se.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by EastBoundandDownChick

Well, as a Detroit native I believe that's the most racially segregated area of the country (look at how the city is like 90% black and the suburbs are primarily white). Chicago has its issues but doesn't come close IMO. I think that the major divide in many parts of the city isn't so much about color as it is about professional vs. nonprofessional. As long as you dress nicely, are polite, and carry yourself a certain way I don't think it really matters whether you're black, white, brown, blue, green, or purple. Good luck to you! I think you will find Chicago is an amazing place should you decide to move.

I would agree with you when talking about the metropolitan area as a whole (metro Detroit) but when you actually compare specific neighborhoods and suburbs you really don't see any difference.

Chicago may be approximately 35% white, 5% Asian, 35% black, and 25% hispanic (I'm not sure if I have these right), while Detroit is about 85% black, but the vast majority of neighborhoods in Chicago are still over 85% one or the other. And the more impoverished crime ridden areas on the west and south sides are still 98% black.

I think metro Detroit is more segregated when it comes to the white working class areas of Macomb and Wayne County.

White collared Oakland County is much more mixed and diverse. When I've stayed in the Southfield area before I was amazed by how many white collared/black professionals work and live in the area. Southfield is 2/3 black. And many of the white people I noticed were not "anglo saxon." Southfield used to be the center of Jewish Detroit, although much of their children moved to Farmington Hills and West Bloomfield, leaving behind empty nesters.

Last time I was there I went to a bowling alley popular with Midtown/Wayne State hipsters called the Magic Stick, and I was amazed by how it was an even mix of black and white young hipsters.

In fact because of the housing free fall in the Detroit area, many Detroiters bought houses in the inner ring suburbs, making many of the inner ring suburbs up to 1/3 black in the 2010 census. Thus it is no longer the most segregated metro ares in the country.

When it comes to Chicago, the predominantly white working class neighborhoods on the far NW and far SW sides such as Garfield Ridge, Edison Park, Mt. Greenwood, there still are definite racial tensions, especially amongst the police community.

While north side "yuppie" Chicago sincerely value Chicagod diversity, but yet there still is little interaction with "black Chicago." Many people never go south of the the South Loop. Some are even afraid of Hyde Park.

In fact there was a whole thread titled on the Chicago forum "It sucks being an educated black man in Chicago." He talked about not fitting in on the north side, but there are no majority black neighborhoods that are desirable.

Detroit at least has the beautiful Palmer Woods/University District neighborhoods. Detroit proper may not have much at all in terms of nice neighborhoods but the couple enclaves did impress me. (Midtown/Wayne state, and north of U of D Mercy (University District/Palmer Woods).