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Historically, I think Detroit and Chicago might have done more to propel Black families into the middle class than other cities. I realize that's debatable, and that's why I said it.
How so? Atlanta & L.A. could be added to this imo
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Originally Posted by BajanYankee
Paradoxically, the closing of factories in both cities may have done more to propel black families into poverty than other cities as well.
chicago still has one of the largest middle class black populations(yes believe it or not).... but i see what you mean
Factory jobs. And note that I did say "historically."
The story of the rise of America’s black working and middle classes is inextricably bound up with that of Detroit and the Big Three. It is not a story with a simple upward trajectory. For a long time, blacks were relegated to the least desirable jobs in the plants and initially confined to a small ghetto on the East Side of the city. But slowly, haltingly, over the course of the 1950s and early ’60s, the plants became fully integrated and black workers spread across Detroit block by block, moving the city’s de facto color line as they went. “It wasn’t that long ago that Detroit was the home of the nation’s most affluent African-American population with the largest percentage of black homeowners and the highest comparative wages,” David Goldberg, an African-American Studies professor at Wayne State University, told me. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/ma...detroit-t.html
Location: Detroit's eastside, downtown Detroit in near future!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lmcintyre1s
New Orleans. Not necessarily a glamorous history, but quite significant nonetheless. The city is 67% black according to the 2000 census. Definitely wouldn't think any northern cities.
And why not? Of course all African American history started in the south. they came from the south. But many northern cities helped evlove AA history. Detroit, Chicago, Philly, NYC etc
Location: Detroit's eastside, downtown Detroit in near future!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BajanYankee
Good points. I forgot to mention Richard Allen. The fact that Philly had so many free blacks, I think, makes it so different from every other city with substantial black populations. Most blacks in Chicago, for example, can easily trace their roots back to Mississippi by only going back a generation. But my stepfather's parents were from Philly. And so were their parents. And their parents. All his family has ever known is Philly. In Detroit or St. Louis, the overwhelming majority (98.87%) of black people are a generation or two removed from Alabama. Even here in DC, I find that most black people are just a generation removed from South Carolina. In Philly, though, it seems that your grandparents or great grandparents moved there from the South shortly after WWI, or that your family has been in the city for a very long time.
Actually more blacks in the Chi came from Miss than Alabama I believe.
Most people here in Detroit trace there history back to GA, Mississippi or Alabama last. Oh and a lot of Chicago people came from Arkansas and Louisiana as well.
Location: Detroit's eastside, downtown Detroit in near future!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BajanYankee
Those aren't northern cities, they're Midwestern cities. By northern, I mean Boston, NYC, and Philadelphia. I suppose people in Detroit think of themselves as northerners, but when people say "up north," I think most tend to think of the East Coast.
when we compare ourselves to the south most midwesterners do consider ourselves "northern" because technically we're north lol
I think Atlanta would be the first city to come to mind when thinking of black history and culture.
Yes Philly, DC, Baltimore, etc. may have rich black history and may be majority black cities in the present, but Atlanta kind of serves as the face for blacks and black culture. Its looked at as sort of the promise land. You always hear black people talk of how they want to move down to Atlanta. Plus its in the south. The south and black culture go hand in hand. There are different varieties of black culture all over the country (NE culture, West coast Culture, Midwest, etc.) but the south is the one place where all those varieties can come together because its like coming back home to the roots/essence of it all. And Atlanta just so happens to be the premier black city in the south.
SN: I dont really think of NYC when I think of black culture, just because they have too much going on and there are too many other cultures that dominate. Virginia cities also have A LOT of black culture and history. Many blacks can trace their roots back to VA, but I dont think any city in VA could be the face of black culture.
This is true for the most part. But NYC's African American culture has been muted by the growing influence of West Indians and Africans in the region. When I meet someone from New York, especially Brooklyn, I just assume they're West Indian. It's actually quite difficult to meet someone from NYC who doesn't have at least one parent or grandparent who is not West Indian. Even KRS-One, one of the pioneers of hip hop, was of Jamaican ancestry.
a lot of black ppl in the south are also mixed. with that said, a lot of west indian culture comes from african culture as well. how many black ppl claim cherokee? or that somebody in their fam was white?
how many black ppl in ny come from families that originated in the south? A LOT. don't assume anything, meeting somebody from brooklyn or queens because you don't know until you know.
black ppl in the u.s. in general are mixed ppl despite what the media makes us out to be.
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Philly, on the other hand, has a lot more "soul" than NYC. It's just a more soulful town. I don't really consider NYC as a "soul" city. The cities that come to mind are Detroit, Chicago, Philly, Memphis...pretty much any city that pumped out good soul music during the 1970s.
thats your personal opinion but as a nyer not only do i disagree i find it offensive.
ny "has a soul," period. ny pumped out a renaissance started by black ppl and good music from black ppl for (in recent times) two and a half decades, not to mention urban fashion.
I think Atlanta would be the first city to come to mind when thinking of black history and culture.
Yes Philly, DC, Baltimore, etc. may have rich black history and may be majority black cities in the present, but Atlanta kind of serves as the face for blacks and black culture. Its looked at as sort of the promise land. You always hear black people talk of how they want to move down to Atlanta. Plus its in the south. The south and black culture go hand in hand. There are different varieties of black culture all over the country (NE culture, West coast Culture, Midwest, etc.) but the south is the one place where all those varieties can come together because its like coming back home to the roots/essence of it all. And Atlanta just so happens to be the premier black city in the south.
SN: I dont really think of NYC when I think of black culture, just because they have too much going on and there are too many other cultures that dominate. Virginia cities also have A LOT of black culture and history. Many blacks can trace their roots back to VA, but I dont think any city in VA could be the face of black culture.
Nearly half of all the blacks in the Northeast came from the carribean.
a lot of black ppl in the south are also mixed. with that said, a lot of west indian culture comes from african culture as well. how many black ppl claim cherokee? or that somebody in their fam was white?
how many black ppl in ny come from families that originated in the south? A LOT. don't assume anything, meeting somebody from brooklyn or queens because you don't know until you know.
black ppl in the u.s. in general are mixed ppl despite what the media makes us out to be.
thats your personal opinion but as a nyer not only do i disagree i find it offensive.
ny "has a soul," period. ny pumped out a renaissance started by black ppl and good music from black ppl for (in recent times) two and a half decades, not to mention urban fashion.
I dont think he meant that new york doesnt have a soul, i think he's talking about soul music (at least thats what I got out of it)
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