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Sadly, it did not work out too well. Blacks are generally not respected by the white community in Rochester. They generally do not have a good standard of living. Unfortunately, African American youth in segregated neighborhoods are generally poorly educated and racial tensions remain fairly high. Of course I'm talking within the actual CITY of Rochester.
I'd say things are improving, but Rochester constantly ranks among the worst metros in the country for segregation, poverty, income inequality for African Americans etc. Having visited many southern cities and towns throughout the former Confederacy, I can honestly say that Rochester is one of the most racist and segregated communities I've ever been to.
A report came out last year naming the Rochester City School District the worst in the country for graduation rates among black males. During the 2009-2010 school year, only 9% of black male students graduated, compared to 31% of white males. But our schools only reflect our communities. If you take a look at census maps based on racial makeup, you can practically see the lines of the city's borders with Monroe County's suburban towns. The city neighborhood I'm in is a very mixed community of whites, blacks and hispanics, however the suburban neighborhood it borders is almost 90% white. Going the other direction, the city neighborhood adjacent to mine is almost 60% black and less than 10% white. This is just a small example of the segregation that continues in Rochester.
Take a look at some of the data provided by this very website. Look under "Residents with income below the poverty level," "poverty among high school graduates," "median household income" etc. You will find that the worst conditions are found in predominantly African American communities.
No positive change came as a result of the 1964 riots. In fact, conditions in the neighborhoods effected are FAR worse today than anyone ever could've imagined them being in 1964. Some neighborhoods including Clarissa Street and the area surrounding Joseph Avenue and Upper Falls Blvd were completely DESTROYED by urban renewal. The latter was transformed from a fairly healthy strip of urban retail and beautiful housing to nothing but suburban style public housing projects and parks. It's a dead zone. Clarissa Street, which was once known as "Rocheter's Broadway" and the center of Jazz culture in Upstate NY, is now nothing but empty lots and residential space.
It's appalling the way things have turned out.
Urban renewal is the hidden thing that people forget about in terms of hurting Black neighborhoods. What you described in that regard occurred here in Syracuse's 15th Ward, which was destroyed by urban renewal.
I will say that there are Black people in suburban Rochester. Irondequoit, Gates, Greece, Henrietta and Chili have areas of those towns with higher concentrations of Black residents. Actually, Eastridge High in Irondequoit has the highest percentage of Black and Hispanic students out of the suburban high schools(about 20 and 12 percent respectfully and probably growing). Rush-Henrietta, Gates-Chili, Greece Central and West Irondequoit have schools with substantial amounts of Black and other minority students, with some in other districts. So, there are areas outside of the city of Rochester with more Black residents than others in the metro.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-18-2013 at 08:25 AM..
This is all true. In 1950, Rochester had about 8,400 African Americans living in the city. That increased by 300% by 1960 and today there are closer to 90,000 African Americans in the City of Rochester.
.
Now show me the crime rates for 1950 and say, 2010.
Proud of the African-American struggles and triumphs
I was appalled at some of comment about the African-American migration in the 1950-1970's. I guess as an African-American that has seen the struggles that my ancestors has gone through and the lack of respect that still is displayed by so many. It is amazing when other cultures has so much privilege that still find the need to berate, belittle and laugh at a culture that has practically built America on their backs including with whip....
I find that sometimes people can become cold to each other over materialistic philosophies...I am glad to be a African-American and I am also proud of our journey. We were held down for so many centuries, fighting for our rights and just the ability to pursue the American dream. The fight was hard and long, but we have conquered, even though we are still having to deal with obstacles, I can see many descendants of slaves who own nothing to seeing us running business, being millionaires, living comfortable lives, owing our homes....
So you may look at us and don't see how far we have come as a culture, but we know and we are not going to stop striving to fight for a even better life...
I was appalled at some of comment about the African-American migration in the 1950-1970's. I guess as an African-American that has seen the struggles that my ancestors has gone through and the lack of respect that still is displayed by so many. It is amazing when other cultures has so much privilege that still find the need to berate, belittle and laugh at a culture that has practically built America on their backs including with whip....
I find that sometimes people can become cold to each other over materialistic philosophies...I am glad to be a African-American and I am also proud of our journey. We were held down for so many centuries, fighting for our rights and just the ability to pursue the American dream. The fight was hard and long, but we have conquered, even though we are still having to deal with obstacles, I can see many descendants of slaves who own nothing to seeing us running business, being millionaires, living comfortable lives, owing our homes....
So you may look at us and don't see how far we have come as a culture, but we know and we are not going to stop striving to fight for a even better life...
You are showing the kind of attitude that causes the ones you read in this thread. Still thinking that so many others are of privilege that has lifted them above you. Look around one day and ask yourself if all the people you see on the bus or at their jobs are indeed of privilege. If this were true, they would not be doing the day to day jobs. There are very rich and poor but the vast majority of people are just trying to have a better life. Most just want better than what their parents had.
There seems to be a myth among blacks that all whites have it easy. Where can you prove that. How? It makes no sense. Performance is the privilege of all people who have a dream to have something, be something and yes, even go out into the world and do for others.
What you wrote could be called whining. It is never ending. Every race and group of people in the world has been enslaved and even tortured at one point or another throughout history. But you think you were special slaves. Perhaps so since your own race sold you into slavery and are still doing it. Look at what happened to those hundreds of school girls in Africa just three weeks ago.
And when any blacks say America was built on their backs it is pathetic. You think that picking cotton and hoeing made this country what it is.
At some point in time blacks will have to look outside of themselves and realize that in the whole world they are the only people who still use a two hundred year old excuse for their current circumstances. You mention the successes and yes they prove that the condition can be overcome. To overcome what is inside you and probably taught to you. The successful focused on what they wanted very much to do and not on what their grand parents couldn't do. All people think like that if they are emotionally healthy. Dwelling on the illness does not cure; but dwelling on the cure makes you well.
The cure is to become a part of the world, quit assuming that people have it out for you. If someone shows you that they don't like you, just write them off and make the most of each opportunity.
Focus on moving ahead. Like the Irish, Greeks, Italians, Lebanese, Asians, and on and on, all of whom faced great struggles in their histories. And yes, they even faced racial rejection in the early years here in the US, but they were so focused on providing for their families (extended) that they did not sulk. It was their goals that they placed their minds on. Until blacks adopt this same time proven strategy this distrust, crime, drugs, murder are the words that will be associated with blacks. Which by the way, is the reason for lack of respect. It is unfortunate that all get painted with the same brush but the numbers for black achievement are abysmal. Baby mothers making children that will never get an education and do something besides repeating the process. How horrible that is. If young black women today were as smart as their mothers and grandmothers they would not be filling the prisons and grave yards with their babies who have no future.
Do you think you can do anything about any of this if you find others who agree that something positive should be done. It is not what happened to us.......it is what is happening to us RIGHT NOW. Change it, don't look for respect from others get up each day and respect yourself enough to make a difference. Believe that when you die black people will be better off because you cared enough to do something different. You chose to be a positive person of action, instead of just another black person who feels cheated.
Much good luck on your journey. I know it will be hard, but the rewards are worth it, because they are not of perceived privilege, but of individual motivation. Don't let others do for you what you can do for yourself. They don't owe you; but you do owe yourself. Don't waste your life or your children's, it is up to you.
Look at my name and know that I know about poverty and prejudice, but they did not hamper me.
Raj Kapoor
Last edited by raj kapoor; 05-30-2014 at 10:32 PM..
You are showing the kind of attitude that causes the ones you read in this thread. Still thinking that so many others are of privilege that has lifted them above you. Look around one day and ask yourself if all the people you see on the bus or at their jobs are indeed of privilege. If this were true, they would not be doing the day to day jobs. There are very rich and poor but the vast majority of people are just trying to have a better life. Most just want better than what their parents had.
There seems to be a myth among blacks that all whites have it easy. Where can you prove that. How? It makes no sense. Performance is the privilege of all people who have a dream to have something, be something and yes, even go out into the world and do for others.
What you wrote could be called whining. It is never ending. Every race and group of people in the world has been enslaved and even tortured at one point or another throughout history. But you think you were special slaves. Perhaps so since your own race sold you into slavery and are still doing it. Look at what happened to those hundreds of school girls in Africa just three weeks ago.
And when any blacks say America was built on their backs it is pathetic. You think that picking cotton and hoeing made this country what it is.
At some point in time blacks will have to look outside of themselves and realize that in the whole world they are the only people who still use a two hundred year old excuse for their current circumstances. You mention the successes and yes they prove that the condition can be overcome. To overcome what is inside you and probably taught to you. The successful focused on what they wanted very much to do and not on what their grand parents couldn't do. All people think like that if they are emotionally healthy. Dwelling on the illness does not cure; but dwelling on the cure makes you well.
The cure is to become a part of the world, quit assuming that people have it out for you. If someone shows you that they don't like you, just write them off and make the most of each opportunity.
Focus on moving ahead. Like the Irish, Greeks, Italians, Lebanese, Asians, and on and on, all of whom faced great struggles in their histories. And yes, they even faced racial rejection in the early years here in the US, but they were so focused on providing for their families (extended) that they did not sulk. It was their goals that they placed their minds on. Until blacks adopt this same time proven strategy this distrust, crime, drugs, murder are the words that will be associated with blacks. Which by the way, is the reason for lack of respect. It is unfortunate that all get painted with the same brush but the numbers for black achievement are abysmal. Baby mothers making children that will never get an education and do something besides repeating the process. How horrible that is. If young black women today were as smart as their mothers and grandmothers they would not be filling the prisons and grave yards with their babies who have no future.
Do you think you can do anything about any of this if you find others who agree that something positive should be done. It is not what happened to us.......it is what is happening to us RIGHT NOW. Change it, don't look for respect from others get up each day and respect yourself enough to make a difference. Believe that when you die black people will be better off because you cared enough to do something different. You chose to be a positive person of action, instead of just another black person who feels cheated.
Much good luck on your journey. I know it will be hard, but the rewards are worth it, because they are not of perceived privilege, but of individual motivation. Don't let others do for you what you can do for yourself. They don't owe you; but you do owe yourself. Don't waste your life or your children's, it is up to you.
Look at my name and know that I know about poverty and prejudice, but they did not hamper me.
Actually, Blacks did more than pick cotton and tobacco, as many built canals, the Capital Building in DC(among many others) and other infrastructure, as well as fought in every war(in spite of treatment) and were involved in many facets of life. Considering that THIS country is touted as the land of the free, it is ironic that the most American group of people outside of Native Americans, has been its most enslaved in terms of time and one of its systematically discriminated.
I think that is the difference, as India or other South Asian countries aren't viewed like the US and said people make up a small percentage of the country's population, along with a relatively short history here. This doesn't get into the more selective nature into the US of this group or the differences of the other groups in comparison, given aspects in terms of history in the US, size and assimilation into the large culture. That does mean that there was no "struggle", but it is a different struggle. You can't look at different groups or even different groups of color as the same in THIS country.
I think what the poster mentioned is that Black life isn't in a vacuum of poverty, single mothers and low academic achievement, among others. I think the poster mentioned moving forward in spite of whatever socio-historical there is and that many have, but unfortunately, many only see a limited and usually negative example due to minimal exposure presented by the media. So, I think that there is much that people need to consider outside of their limited experiences with certain people and education/exposure is key for all in this society.
To get back to the original topic question, Black people were never "bussed" into the area and have been in the area for centuries, if not since/before there was a Rochester.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 05-31-2014 at 06:34 AM..
My uncle said that in the 70's the city bussed in lots of black people from the south, especially poor parts of Georgia. Why did they do that? Just curious
No you and everybody else on the tread are incorrect. In 1965 both Monroe county and city of Rochester began a voluntary SCHOOL BUSiNG PROGRAM for means of school integration.
The way this busing program works or was supposed to operate is any suburban school district in Monroe county could receive additional funding if they allowed inner city non-white children to be bused into their suburban school district. But not all school districts were mandated to participate. And a school district is or was free to drop in and out of the program whenever they liked. However today most districts have been indirectly coerced or forced to participate in this BUSING scheme thus making the atitutes of Rochesterians extremely INSULAR .:
Last edited by Deeboy; 12-05-2017 at 05:55 PM..
Reason: Had to
^ Stop with this madness! This is a mega old thread and it wasn’t about school busing anyway.
Urban/Suburban was a voluntary program that initially started with select school district and has since expanded.
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Proud of the African-American struggles and triumphs
