[Southlander]

It's Suliniber. And he's in Lawrence County, not Cullman County.

[Hornmit]

We're also interracial (white husband, black wife), living in NJ, but have experience living with our kids in the South. We were transferred here after three great years in Arkansas; we first met in Louisiana a couple of decades ago. I wrote a magazine article for Interrace magazine on the best places for mixed couples to live.

First off, de facto segregation is alive and well in the South -- and the Northeast. US Census Bureau statistics show that the most integrated places in the US are (a) new towns and cities and (b) towns near military bases. High-tech areas (Research Triangle NC, Silicon Valley, Austin, Minneapolis, &c) are also usually pockets of educated, tolerant and civil people, but are rarely low cost.

Secondly, you can't generalize for an entire region or state (or even city). It's the microgeography you need to study. By running Census statistics (available online and at any good library) we found an integrated neighborhood in a pleasant town in Arkansas where a large corporate headquarters and a state university provided cosmopolitan influences. There were other towns where it was courting an incident to be there after nightfall on a Friday.

But Jersey, ditto.

Roughly a fifth of the population is prejudiced (based on surveys I've read over the years). My wife says she appreciates Southern whites for being more open, while she finds those in the Northeast more prone to being two-faced about race. In the South white-black tribalism is a fading embarassment; in the Northeast it seems that people are neither embarassed about their ethnic tribalism nor moving away from it.

I endorse the posting that you should take your next vacation in one of the towns you're considering. (Our next vacation will be to Selma and Montgomery for all the Civil Rights landmarks.)

[MadisonSeattle]

NC is a perfect place for a mixed race couple. If you are a professional, you will be welcomed in the research triangle area. (Living in San Franciso currently, you probably fit into the professional category.) It doesn't matter your race and your mate's race as long as you have advanced degrees. Chapel Hill is a perfect place, too. (and gorgeous!) Whomever compared the Carolinas to Kentucky- big difference. I disagree with putting the entire South in the same category.

[raspberry1]

Hi

Right now the way the real estate is going, I would not only think twice but 10« times before buying a home anywhere in the country. The economy is bad everywhere sweetheart. In the south it might even be worse.. so enjoy where you are right now, the grass ain`t greener on the side of the fence and avoid being dissapointed.

[higas]

Originally Posted by Threestep

a) Verizon will be able to answer your question especially as your husband works for them.
b) Hollywood and reality are two cups of tea.
c) Why do you want to move South? What do you expect from it?
d) Why do you point out that you are an interracial couple?

Have you considered taking vacation to explore the South?

Obviously she pointed it out because unfortunately there are still people (both white and black) that do not look favorably on interacial marriage, both in the north and historically the south. I don't think it indicates she has a problem as much as it does that she wants to move to a place where she and her husband stand a chance at having good neighbors and making friends. Having been raised in Hawaii, interacial marriage is the norm, however it is quite uncommon in some areas of the U.S. Hope this enlightens you on another perspective.

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by higas

Obviously she pointed it out because unfortunately there are still people (both white and black) that do not look favorably on interacial marriage, both in the north and historically the south. I don't think it indicates she has a problem as much as it does that she wants to move to a place where she and her husband stand a chance at having good neighbors and making friends. Having been raised in Hawaii, interacial marriage is the norm, however it is quite uncommon in some areas of the U.S. Hope this enlightens you on another perspective.

Would you mind to explain your last sentence? Thank you.

[acrossthepond]

Don't have answers to either of your questions concerning work.
Verizon is fixing to open a call center in Huntsville. Huntsville is the county seat for Madison County, AL so you know there are jobs in the criminal justice arena. There is a new facility being built at Redstone Arsenal for the 2nd Criminal Investigation Division which will bring some new jobs from Georgia.
As for interracial couples, I live in a neighborhood where houses run from the mid 350's and up and the couple next door are interracial. Don't see where there is any problem in my neighborhood. Can't guarantee there wouldn't be a problem but the 60's are long gone. I live in Madison next door to Huntsville and this area is very cosmopolitan with most people having moved to the area from other cities. More non-native to native population. High standard of living at a low cost of living. Paid my property tax the other day on a home appraised at $380K and the taxes were $2100.

Come give us a visit sometime and form your own impressions.

[pvjd]

I live in Birmingham and know several mixed race couples and have come into contact with many more. People here are pretty chill about that sort of thing, as we have a large white, black, hispanic, Lebanese, Greek and Asian community here. I suppose it depends too on what part of Birmingham. If you chose Birmingham, I would look into Hoover, Cahaba Heights, Homewood or Vestavia. Good luck.

[anthrnurse]

North carolina, from personally experiencing and visiting there seems less interracially challenged... people are warm, and welcoming and friendly there, and my boyfriend is black and I am a white woman... he lives up there and I went to visit and was treated better in north carolina than in georgia or alabama.... your best bet is northcarolina, its beautiful there and the cost of living is low.

[dee2south]

Originally Posted by karmaistrue

I pointed out that we are a interracial couple for numerous reasons but lets be honest look what just happened in Jena. I don't want to go somewhere to try to raise a family and be unhappy.

I'm not moving to the South because of the movie. Yes I love the movie and all but I used it as an example. I would love to move to a small town with great Southern charm. I'm a Northern girl but I want to raise my children in the South just for different reasons.

I love NJ but realistically its impossbile to own a home in Northern NJ homes start around 475k and some condos are going for over 500k. theres no such things as 250k in NJ.

Maybe I missed something here, have you never visited the South? That is the only way you will be able to determine for yourselves if it's the right fit.
Research job opportunities first, gotta keep a roof over your head, come on down and visit. Once you know where your job will be, things will fall into place. About the interracial thing, I honestly don't know what to tell you,
From my experience the closer you are to a large city the more accepting people will be, besides they are so busy working, they won't have the time to stick their noses in you biz anyway.