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Indianapolis saw a huge population boost between 1960 and 1970, and I'm guessing that's also when a larger amount of blacks came.
That's because the city of Indianapolis merged with surrounding suburban areas in Marion County, Indiana in 1970 (see Unigov)...there wasn't a major population boom per se, just a consolidation of the city and county populations. The growth was around 13.5% or so. Indy was about 18% black in 1970, about 28 percent today.
That's because the city of Indianapolis merged with surrounding suburban areas in Marion County, Indiana in 1970 (see Unigov)...there wasn't a major population boom per se, just a consolidation of the city and county populations. The growth was around 13.5% or so. Indy was about 18% black in 1970, about 28 percent today.
Which makes me think that the old city of Indianapolis would have had a higher Black percentage in 1970.
Let's put it this way, Indianapolis had an all Black high school in Crispus Attucks HS that was opened in 1922(look up Oscar Robinson for you Basketball heads) and there were black students in a few other schools going as far back as the 1870's. So, it is a city with a long time and substantial Black population. In 1900, the city was already 10% Black. The previously mentioned Pike Township area/school district is about 40-45% Black and the other 2 Townships are in the mid 20's or so in percentage. Warren Township is about a third Black and Wayne Township is about 20-22% Black. If you used the Indianapolis Public Schools district boundaries as the old city, it would be close to 40% Black.
Which makes me think that the old city of Indianapolis would have had a higher Black percentage in 1970.
Let's put it this way, Indianapolis had an all Black high school in Crispus Attucks HS that was opened in 1922(look up Oscar Robinson for you Basketball heads) and there were black students in a few other schools going as far back as the 1870's. So, it is a city with a long time and substantial Black population. In 1900, the city was already 10% Black. The previously mentioned Pike Township area/school district is about 40-45% Black and the other 2 Townships are in the mid 20's or so in percentage. Warren Township is about a third Black and Wayne Township is about 20-22% Black. If you used the Indianapolis Public Schools district boundaries as the old city, it would be close to 40% Black.
Right, the old Indianapolis borders have a much higher black population than many people think. And its black history goes back further than a lot of people think.
Yep, and I think that isn't highlighted enough in LA. Like, we know that these other cities you mentioned have had dedicated systems in place for furthering the education of its native blacks. The perception of LA is distorted surrounding Black Angelenos and what they've given to the city...
The fact that LA has been able to export so much to contemporary black culture is a big deal. Its development as a city overall, we know is barely 120 years old. We know that it is geographically isolated from the bulk and the heartbeat of Black America; I've heard arguments in the past where people say "LA should be blacker given its size" without taking geography or the relatively youthful development of it as a city into account at all; our community out there wasn't born nor grown of slavery expats. These aren't just minor tidbits to ignore when discussing Black LA...
The fact that the city has been so influential for us at all is a modern miracle. You know I've been to many places in the US, lived in a bunch of stops. LA and its requisite native black community is truly one of most unique places the country over...
As someone who was raised in SoCal and still has lots of family in the area, thank you for this. Los Angeles has always been an anomaly compared to the Chicagos, Detroits, New Yorks, Atlantas, etc., but an anomaly with a rich black history and is definitely a legacy black capital for the reasons you stated throughout this thread.
So I guess the answer is 1970 is young compared to cities with large black population Blocs established by 1950?
1970 is at the end of the Great Migration. Both Chicago and Detroit, as well as other more traditional Midwest cities with similar migration patterns like St. Louis and Cleveland, were already at or near peak black populations by that time. Indianapolis bucks the trend, while showing newer black growth more similar to non-Rustbelt Midwest cities such as Minneapolis and Columbus OH. I assumed, like Milwaukee, that Indianapolis didn't receive its Black migration en masse until the 60s. Turns out my assessment is off. From what a couple of posters here are saying, is that it may had 100k+ black people already by, lets say, 1950 or 1960, if the 18% in 1970 would have been a good deal higher without the city-county merger.
Last edited by Chicagoland60426; 04-15-2020 at 02:10 AM..
At the Black pop peak in L.A, which side of the freeway had the larger portion of the Black community?
I think at the peak it was always the Westside, but that's because the 70s and 80s were the peak population eras....
But the original heartbeat of black LA was along Central Ave on the Eastside, if you go way back to the 40s and even before, when LA first started really substantially growing, the Westside neighborhoods and surrounding cities were almost completely white. So I guess if one considers the 40s to 60s the peak cultural era you'd have to say the Eastside...
We began moving en masse to the Westside in the 60s. Beginning in the late 70s and definitely the 80s the repopulation of South Central with Latinos hit the Eastside first. To date its hit the Eastside hardest and while there are still several notable areas of sizable blackness on the Eastside, there are no 50%+ black neighborhoods out there anymore. Not the Low Bottoms or Watts or Willowbrook or other historically black areas, though all still have pretty sizable black populations still (just not "majority" black)...
1970 census shows a rare (if not the only) instance when LA's (city proper) Black population exceeded the Latinos. It also shows that the Black migration patterns to LA doesn't differ much from Chicago, though a significant difference in numbers. Both experienced the largest increases in numbers during the second wave from 1940 to 1970. Its seems that LA may have reached its peak earlier (late 60s or early to mid 70s?), but definitely by the 1980s both were in decline.
Last edited by Chicagoland60426; 04-15-2020 at 08:53 AM..
I think at the peak it was always the Westside, but that's because the 70s and 80s were the peak population eras....
But the original heartbeat of black LA was along Central Ave on the Eastside, if you go way back to the 40s and even before, when LA first started really substantially growing, the Westside neighborhoods and surrounding cities were almost completely white. So I guess if one considers the 40s to 60s the peak cultural era you'd have to say the Eastside...
We began moving en masse to the Westside in the 60s. Beginning in the late 70s and definitely the 80s the repopulation of South Central with Latinos hit the Eastside first. To date its hit the Eastside hardest and while there are still several notable areas of sizable blackness on the Eastside, there are no 50%+ black neighborhoods out there anymore. Not the Low Bottoms or Watts or Willowbrook or other historically black areas, though all still have pretty sizable black populations still (just not "majority" black)...
Right. The Black community growth was due to the 2nd wave and that propel the community into it's present spotlight. I'd recall an L.A article on the great migration & it mentioned a neighborhood nickname New Orleans ( or Little New Orleans?). I can't find that article right now but was trying to figure which neighborhood presently.
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