Racial relations in Atlanta (Marietta, Smyrna: neighborhoods, gated, income)

[MountainLovin' Mom]

Hey, Aries4118... and anyone else... what can you tell me about race relations and schools in Loganville (Rockdale County) and McDonough (Henry County). I found nice properties in each of these areas. Thanks, again!

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by MountainLovin' Mom

Thanks, aries4118. We have friends in Dallas (Paulding County). I've been looking at properties in that area. Can anyone share their opinion of this area for mixed families? I appreciate all feedback!

You may also wish to check out Paulding.com FASTREAD as there are only locals to Paulding and the area on that board. A lot of stay-at-home mom types in there too who know everything about the schools, etc. I know a couple of mixed couples with kids hang out in there so they may better be able to tell you about the climate there.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by MountainLovin' Mom

Hey, Aries4118... and anyone else... what can you tell me about race relations and schools in Loganville (Rockdale County) and McDonough (Henry County). I found nice properties in each of these areas. Thanks, again!

The Loganville part of Rockdale County would be northern Rockdale County...I don't know much about northern Rockdale County in particular, but I do know that Rockdale County is very racially mixed. Overall, the white proportion of the population is slowly decreasing, while the black proportion is increasing. Unfortunately, this means instability.

McDonough, on the other hand, is very well mixed and booming...attracting white and black families alike.

I don't like to disparage areas (most areas have their positives), but I think McDonough might be slightly more appealing.

But, northern Rockdale is still pretty rural...you'll probably get some fantastic deals on some beautiful property. And...Heritage High School (in central and south Rockdale) has an awesome reputation, with great academics and athletics.

I hope this helps!

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by backfist

They also had stronghold in Denver, including Denver government, during the 1920's.

Not just Denver either. It got as far as Oregon. Oregon was one of the western strongholds for the KKK(not surprising considering that Oregon had a law in the books until 1926 prohibiting blacks form settling in Oregon, although it was ignored somewhat.). Orange County in California was run by the KKK.

I digress. As for race relations in Atlanta, racists don't make up a large segment of Atlanta's population, but there are still problems, problems I may add that some people won't discuss and want to hide so Atlanta can maintain a good image.

[jaeidiaz]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

In Atlanta, a black person might live next door to a white person, but the chances of them being friends may not be that high. I will be honest.

Is that to say that it couldn't happen? I am african american and currently live in L.A. I work in a predominately white company and I LOVE my co-workers. We all get along, go out to lunch, etc. I would invite them over for dinner if they were interested.

I am interested in possibly moving to ATL, but my main concern is about the racial divide. I am PRO mixing races and having friends of diverse backgrounds. I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing I would not be able to make friends with various cultures.

[jaeidiaz]

Originally Posted by Britishintown

As a white person I would say I have as many if not more black friends as white friends in Atlanta, however what I have noticed is that my black friends are always trying to hook me up with black girls and cannot understand why I like white girls as well and, my white friends are always trying to get me hooked up with white girls and cannot understand why I like black girls as well.

I expect it is all part of life's rich tapestry, thus far I have not encountered any racial tension except on forums like this one.

British - Can I be your friend if I move to ATL. Hahaha

[johnatl]

^jaeidiaz, don't worry - you'll be just fine. I'm a white gay guy that has been here for 21 years, travel very frequently to lots of major cities and I honestly believe that we probably have some of the best race relations in the country here. My office is mixed white/black/latino, and we all get along like a big extended family.

You will meet everything here from one extreme to the other, but there is a comfort level between white/black here that most cities would kill for.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by johnatl

^jaeidiaz, don't worry - you'll be just fine. I'm a white gay guy that has been here for 21 years, travel very frequently to lots of major cities and I honestly believe that we probably have some of the best race relations in the country here. My office is mixed white/black/latino, and we all get along like a big extended family.

You will meet everything here from one extreme to the other, but there is a comfort level between white/black here that most cities would kill for.

John, I'm going to take a guess that you live and/or work in the Midtown or closeby areas. You will tend to find a lot of mixed working environments as well as mixed social environments in those inner city areas than you will in most other areas in the metro. I once worked for a company based near Monroe and Piedmont and it was a similar situation there - varied multicultural employees, most of whom lived nearby as well, and who interacted well at work as well as outside of the office after work socially as well. That was the only company I worked for since however, that had that type of working environment.

Since that time I have worked in places along Fulton Industrial, Chamblee, Vinings/Smyrna, and now West Cobb. The white and black employees in most of these places worked well enough together because they had to. It was required. During lunch you would go into the break room and all white employees would be sitting on one side, all black employees on the other - seemingly because *both* groups wanted it that way. Even the company I work for today, the black employees who work in the warehouse only associate with each other, and will not mingle wiht the white or hispanic employees. In past cases, it seemed to be more of a two way desire that neither/nor wanted to associate with the other but at the current job it's more that the black employees will shun the others when any new employee who is not black tries to "make contact".

Jaeidiaz Moderator cut: use the Report Post function for moderation issues needs to be aware that just because Atlanta's past doesn't have as much racial violence as some other cities did, the race relations issues here are more covered up, but ARE still there. You'll have a white police office shoot a black criminal and the marches immediately begin... or white officers will try to cover up their blundering when shooting an elderly black woman. Remember the Rodney King riots when they happened here, too? How many whites went out and bought handguns immediately after? Answer - thousands - and members of the police and media were frankly freaked out that there were going to mass shootings of inner city black kids by suburbanites working intown for weeks.

Things in Atlanta are certainly BETTER than they were 25, 30, or 40 years ago. If anything simply because especially since the Olympics, we now have people from literally every corner of the globe moving here daily. The white AND black people are "thinning out" to make way for people from Asian countries, Latin America, the Island countries, Africa, and Europe. You see less tension between two sides when there are 15 other sides starting to enter the mix. It's great that you live in an area and work for a company that has such a good mixture of people and good relations amonst each other, but I think it's naive to tell someone generically that they'll "be just fine" - because there ARE still some areas, and some companies, where they may not be fine if they want a Kum-ba-yah type of atmosphere... it doesn't exist everywhere in the area (yet), though yes, there are pockets of stability here and there and people who find nice places to work just like that as well.

Just my opinion from 23 years of living intown, on the edge of town, and in the burbs.

[jaeidiaz]

Originally Posted by johnatl

^jaeidiaz, don't worry - you'll be just fine. I'm a white gay guy that has been here for 21 years, travel very frequently to lots of major cities and I honestly believe that we probably have some of the best race relations in the country here. My office is mixed white/black/latino, and we all get along like a big extended family.

You will meet everything here from one extreme to the other, but there is a comfort level between white/black here that most cities would kill for.

Thanks John - I kind of get that vibe from the other posts on this site. I am getting the feeling that L.A. and ATL really aren't that different.

I am originally from Philly where there is still some tension amongst African Americas and Caucasians, but being raised mostly in L.A. and having such a diverse family background, my main concern is going to a place that isn't OVERTLY racist.

I love meeting different types of people and making friends of all walks of life. I think you (in general - not you John hehe) are truly missing something when you don't experience that diversity.

L.A. has racism too! It's not so in your face, but it is there. You do experience it in some places, but for the most part, people are open and very L.A. (if you know what I mean - haha).

[xenourtv]

jaiedez, have you heard the saying when a person says "most of their friends are black" or "I have many black friends" its a sign that they are racist. You said you dont have a prejudice bone in your body... Everyone has prejudice which is alright, we are all human I think.