Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with what someone said and most people here have zero clue about what they're talking about. I have been to both regions significantly. South Florida is by far more southern then South Texas. If you are counting Miami vs San Antonio, neither are southern. But if you step outside of Miami metro, you see by far more southern influence than in rural south Texas.
I have taken several road trips through South Texas as I lived in Houston. Stopped at many small towns there where all the people spoke with Southern drawls. Something I don't find here.
I haven't seen any southern traits there and I travel there alot. It just does not have any southern culture from my experiences and I am talking about food, accents everything. Those folks do not sound southern at all, I have not found anyone who has a accent like me, they would constantly ask me where I was from (and low key tease at the same time). I didnt grow up eating meat pies and jerk chicken or Rice and Beans. I did not eat plantains and or papaya either, thats the type of foods I was eating there. I even asked around for a soul food restaurant and even those places were invaded by the island cultures. And I am speaking in a black perspective too, thats the only folks I hang around with then I am there.
Spoken like someone who hasn't lived on been around Blacks in South Florida, especially not Broward, cause if you did then your opinion would've been expressed differently. When I lived in South Florida I was ACTUALLY engulfed in the local Black culture; I could tell you from living in both NYC and South Florida, that the West Indians living in both areas are very, VERY different from one another. I'd say West Indians in South Florida could blend in more in Atlanta than they would in NYC.
I would also like to mention that South Florida also has a large HBCU culture just like the rest of the South as well. Matter of fact, there's an HBCU event coming up soon.
"Complete Athletes along with Miami Dade County District 1 Commissioner Barbara J. Jordan and The 100 Black Men of South Florida presents The 2nd Annual HBCU/GREEK 5K Run/Walk in Miami, FL. We are excited to be able to raise scholarship dollars for future students attending an HBCU. As participants we will be coming together, running together, and showing our youth what we can ACHIEVE when we work together."
I haven't seen any southern traits there and I travel there alot. It just does not have any southern culture from my experiences and I am talking about food, accents everything. Those folks do not sound southern at all, I have not found anyone who has a accent like me, they would constantly ask me where I was from (and low key tease at the same time). I didnt grow up eating meat pies and jerk chicken or Rice and Beans. I did not eat plantains and or papaya either, thats the type of foods I was eating there. I even asked around for a soul food restaurant and even those places were invaded by the island cultures. And I am speaking in a black perspective too, thats the only folks I hang around with then I am there. Now in South Texas, I have eaten at many cafe and diners and though its not as good as home, I can clearly tell the food is southern. LOL i have never eaten a Taco in South Texas (though Im sure they probably do have some good ones). A co-worker of mine dad is from South Texas and he claims to be a southern. He is actually a forth generation Texan and from Del-Rio, he is also a Latino as well. I went to college with a few folks from South Texas as well. They never claimed to be from the south, but their accents were hella thick and clearly southern. More southern than those island folks from South Florida thats for sure...I also know black folks from South Texas too, actually dated a chick from their in undergrad (McAllen). She was indeed Southern and very prideful about it as well....
We've shared this information already numerous times concerning Miami.
I mean he sounds soooo much different from other Southerners. He sounds just like my cousins and friends throughout Dade and a toward. But hey, they not Southern lol.
I'm not sure what your point is, especially since immigrants to the RGV are almost all exclusively from Mexico.
At least in Miami-Dade while the majority are from Cuba, it's not by all means exclusive to Cubans. A sizeable chunk are from S. America and Europe, more than "a few hundred" miles away.
Either way, since we're debating which region is more 'culturally Southern', this is a very relevant fact to bring up.
You have 3 things working against you when trying to claim Miami has any 'Southern heritage':
1)No metropolis in the USA has such a high concentration of immigrants.
2)Miami was founded after the Civil War by northerners. Corpus on the otherhand was firmly entrenched on the Confederate side.
3)Miami and Southern Florida is a huge mecca for transplants from the EC unlike South Texas.
In reality, Miami was never a culturally 'Southern' city at her origin. After it was founded, some Southerners moved there from elsewhere in Florida, but now they're moving out, and you can't see any traces of this Southern culture left except maybe some street signs.
I really don't understand people who want to paint Miami as if was some culturally entrenched Southern city which it has never been.
It does have a Southern component when it comes to its African American population but they arrived after it was mainly settled & developed by northeners as was most of southeast Florida.
The first blacks in Miami were actually Bahamians who worked on Henry Flagler's railroad and established Overtown and the black Grove.
What Southern culture Miami had migrated there after the city was established.
I really don't understand people who want to paint Miami as if was some culturally entrenched Southern city which it has never been.
It does have a Southern component when it comes to its African American population but they arrived after it was mainly settled & developed by northeners as was most of southeast Florida.
The first blacks in Miami were actually Bahamians who worked on Henry Flagler's railroad and established Overtown and the black Grove.
What Southern culture Miami had migrated there after the city was established.
I really don't understand people who want to paint Miami as if was some culturally entrenched Southern city which it has never been.
It does have a Southern component when it comes to its African American population but they arrived after it was mainly settled & developed by northeners as was most of southeast Florida.
The first blacks in Miami were actually Bahamians who worked on Henry Flagler's railroad and established Overtown and the black Grove.
What Southern culture Miami had migrated there after the city was established.
Yes, let me add two things.
You can find "Southern components" to Blacks in northern cities. Because most of the Blacks that fled Jim Crow remained ghettoized and segregated. In Chicago and Detroit, you can easily find Soul Food joints and other "components" of Southern Culture in Black neighborhoods. You can find that out West as well. Doesn't make a city Southern.
My second point, most of the Blacks in Miami no longer have this "Southern component." You're more likely to find a Southern component among Blacks in Detroit. Here, at least 1 of every 2 Black people I encounter has a noticeable Caribbean accent.
Last edited by ScubaSteve87; 08-20-2017 at 08:51 PM..
Funny, I asked you the same thing earlier but you never responded.
For the purposes of this debate it's as easy as defining what isn't Southern Culture.
Since Southern Culture is a subculture of "US culture" ergo all foreign cultures are not Southern. Miami has more immigrants (by percentage) than any other US metropolis. In fact over 50% of people living in Miami were born overseas. Ergo Miami is the least culturally American city in the US. This is something wildly remarked on. Ergo Miami is the least culturally Southern city in the South. It becomes even more dramatic when we consider transplants (from the EC and Midwest) and Miami's history.
Funny, I asked you the same thing earlier but you never responded.
For the purposes of this debate it's as easy as defining what isn't Southern Culture.
Since Southern Culture is a subculture of "US culture" ergo all foreign cultures are not Southern. Miami has more immigrants (by percentage) than any other US metropolis. In fact over 50% of people living in Miami were born overseas. Ergo Miami is the least culturally American city in the US. This is something wildly remarked on. Ergo Miami is the least culturally Southern city in the South. It becomes even more dramatic when we consider transplants (from the EC and Midwest) and Miami's history.
You follow?
There's no distinct definition for what is "Southern Culture." Birmingham's culture revolves around its Industrial History and Hilly Terrain; Birmingham has more similarities with the Rustbelt than it does with the rest of the South, Including Miami. But in all of that, it's still considered a Southern city, and has several examples of Urban Black Southern culture. Same for cities like New Orleans, Dallas, Richmond, Louisville, and etc. Miami is no different...
You keep bringing up stats because you have no actual experience; it's known by now that you're living a bubble, and have had no interaction with Urban Black Culture in South Florida whatsoever. Have you ever attended any Memorial Day functions? HBCU events? Inner City Football Games? Do you even know what Jook Music is? Do you know who Piccalo is?
I used to run all through the tri-counties, from Homestead to West Palm Beach, and everything in between. Whenever I was in NYC, and came back down to South Florida...I KNEW that I had touched down in the South. I wouldn't even consider Miami the most unique Southern city, that goes to New Orleans; have you ever been to a funeral in New Orleans? Met a person with Creole heritage? It's a whole different experience.
There's no distinct definition for what is "Southern Culture." Birmingham's culture revolves around its Industrial History and Hilly Terrain; Birmingham has more similarities with the Rustbelt than it does with the rest of the South, Including Miami. But in all of that, it's still considered a Southern city, and has several examples of Urban Black Southern culture. Same for cities like New Orleans, Dallas, Richmond, Louisville, and etc. Miami is no different...
You keep bringing up stats because you have no actual experience; it's known by now that you're living a bubble, and have had no interaction with Urban Black Culture in South Florida whatsoever. Have you ever attended any Memorial Day functions? HBCU events? Inner City Football Games? Do you even know what Jook Music is? Do you know who Piccalo is?
I used to run all through the tri-counties, from Homestead to West Palm Beach, and everything in between. Whenever I was in NYC, and came back down to South Florida...I KNEW that I had touched down in the South. I wouldn't even consider Miami the most unique Southern city, that goes to New Orleans; have you ever been to a funeral in New Orleans? Met a person with Creole heritage? It's a whole different experience.
Birmingham despite having a hilly terrain and a industrial base doesn't make it similar to Pittsburgh!
Cultural differences.
Miami is not comparable to the cities you listed in regards to Southern culture..... New Orleans, Dallas, Richmond, Louisville, and etc. Miami is no different.
Sorry but Miami isn't comparable to any of the cities you listed in any way shape or form and it isn't a "Southern" city culturally and never has been.
Anybody who has been to Miami knows this already so stop beating a Dead Horse !
Birmingham despite having a hilly terrain and a industrial base doesn't make it similar to Pittsburgh!
Birmingham is more comparable to Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit, and etc. than it does with Charlotte, Tampa, or Houston. Go do some research and learn what a Legacy City is...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobdreamz
Miami is not comparable to the cities you listed in regards to Southern culture..... New Orleans, Dallas, Richmond, Louisville, and etc. Miami is no different.
Sorry but Miami isn't comparable to any of the cities you listed in any way shape or form and it isn't a "Southern" city culturally and never has been.
That's my point! Jesus Christ lol...
Miami isn't comparable to those cities listed, and neither is Richmond, Louisville, New Orleans, Dallas or etc. they all have distinct areas of what separate themselves from the group. You stated that Miami isn't a Southern City culturally; well how can you be so confident in that, if you don't even know what "Southern" culture is?
And once again, for someone who supposedly knows a lot about South Florida/Miami, I find it typical how you skim through my other point, because you either know it's fact, or have no experience with those examples whatsoever to speak on it. As I said before, you're living inside a bubble with no interaction with the actual people who live in South Florida, cause if you did then your opinions would've been significantly different. Also, how about responding with some sense and knowledge of South Florida? The whole shtick of speaking from a perspective using stats and denalism is getting old and looking like a bunch of disparate.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
