What city will replace Atlanta as the new black mecca? (Columbus: school districts, living in)

[grindin]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Others that might are Charlotte, the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area of Virginia(Cities like Hampton, Chesapeake, VA Beach, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, etc.), Raleigh, Nashville and if this city could get some traction Minneapolis.

A sleeper city for blacks in my opinion is Madison Wisconsin. A city of 200,000 with a legitimately diverse school district in terms of teacher, administration and students. It is the state capital and has the University of Wisconsin too. Also, it is one of the best school districts in the country and Wisconsin is one of the best states in terms of education, as is Minnesota. Here's more on the Madison Metropolitan SD:Madison Metropolitan School District , About Each School | Madison Metropolitan School District

Some more cities to consider could beenver, Seattle(has more Black men than women) and Columbus Ohio.

Raleigh/Durham, Nashville or Charlotte I agree with. Hampton Roads, not so much...it doesn't have the corporate base that those cities do. It's a military/blue collar/tourism type of area. That being said, there is a large black middle class in Hampton Roads.

Minneapolis or Madison or Seattle?! No way. The trend has been that Blacks have been migrating away from the north to the south for the last 25 to 30 years, and Seattle has never had enough of a critical mass of a black population.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by grindin

Raleigh/Durham, Nashville or Charlotte I agree with. Hampton Roads, not so much...it doesn't have the corporate base that those cities do. It's a military/blue collar/tourism type of area. That being said, there is a large black middle class in Hampton Roads.

Minneapolis or Madison or Seattle?! No way. The trend has been that Blacks have been migrating away from the north to the south for the last 25 to 30 years, and Seattle has never had enough of a critical mass of a black population.

I understand about the last sentence, but those are areas outside of the South that Black people have actually done well in that people don't think of. Denver and Columbus are like that too, but like you said, the trend is reversing back to the South. Maybe Blacks can start getting some small towns that could be built up a bit more. My mom talks about going back to SC and while my father is from Mississippi, he doesn't want to go back there. He does think about going down South again though.

[grindin]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I understand about the last sentence, but those are areas outside of the South that Black people have actually done well in that people don't think of. Denver and Columbus are like that too, but like you said, the trend is reversing back to the South. Maybe Blacks can start getting some small towns that could be built up a bit more. My mom talks about going back to SC and while my father is from Mississippi, he doesn't want to go back there. He does think about going down South again though.

NC, GA, TX and FL tend to be the most popular states for people relocating back to the South moreso than say, LA, MS, AR or TN. I used to live in Mississippi and I have no desire whatsoever to live back there. I don't know whether I'll be settling here in ATL or moving somewhere else or coming back (I'm only 27, who knows where life is going to take me?), but I plan to retire somewhere like NC or VA.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by cityrover

its not shrinking; its migrating. to the suburbs.

That's what I was gonna say, had I not read cityrover's post. Atlanta will most likely forever continue to be what it has been for African Americans since the early 20th century. They're just moving out to Suburban Atlanta. The suburbs of y'all's metro are so popular, I'm constantly hearing them being referred to as if they were areas of the city itself (Decatur, Stone Mountain, etc.).

On the other hand, the second tier black cities in my mind are Houston, Dallas, D.C., Columbus, and many others. And due to the reverse migration of blacks to the South, ATL/HOU/DAL will be top selection for years to come.

[MantaRay]

Originally Posted by grindin

The trend has been that Blacks have been migrating away from the north to the south for the last 25 to 30 years,

Yep. Just prior to that, blacks migrated to the north for the jobs (especially industrial). Now blacks are migrating to the south because it's too dang cold up there. And if there's 2 things black folk don't care much about it's cold (which I would call 25 and below) and water (living on a lakefront, riverfront, beach). And Atlanta doesn't really have to concern itself with either. Anytime you hear the phrase "waterfront community" or "polar bear club" you're not going to hardly find a black person there.

[grindin]

Originally Posted by MantaRay

Anytime you hear the phrase "waterfront community" or "polar bear club" you're not going to hardly find a black person there.

I'm black and I wouldn't mind living in a waterfront community.

I know the jokes about black women and water (uh-uh, I just got my hair done!), but I know plenty of black people who love the beach.

Now as for cold weather, I can agree with that!

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by MantaRay

Yep. Just prior to that, blacks migrated to the north for the jobs (especially industrial). Now blacks are migrating to the south because it's too dang cold up there. And if there's 2 things black folk don't care much about it's cold (which I would call 25 and below) and water (living on a lakefront, riverfront, beach). And Atlanta doesn't really have to concern itself with either. Anytime you hear the phrase "waterfront community" or "polar bear club" you're not going to hardly find a black person there.

Black people are in my experience some of the truest Southerners. And if there's one thing I've observed almost universally about Southerners (me being almost the only exception I've ever known), they positively detest cold weather (cold being defined by anything under 30 degrees!).

[grindin]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

Black people are in my experience some of the truest Southerners. And if there's one thing I've observed almost universally about Southerners (me being almost the only exception I've ever known), they positively detest cold weather (cold being defined by anything under 30 degrees!).

My dad used to work in the Bahamas, and he told me that one day, it was a "chilly" 55 degrees and the whole island shut down.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by grindin

My dad used to work in the Bahamas, and he told me that one day, it was a "chilly" 55 degrees and the whole island shut down.

Oh my goodness, wow! I thought Atlanta was the wimpiest it got.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by grindin

Raleigh/Durham, Nashville or Charlotte I agree with. Hampton Roads, not so much...it doesn't have the corporate base that those cities do. It's a military/blue collar/tourism type of area. That being said, there is a large black middle class in Hampton Roads.

Minneapolis or Madison or Seattle?! No way. The trend has been that Blacks have been migrating away from the north to the south for the last 25 to 30 years, and Seattle has never had enough of a critical mass of a black population.

Actually, the African-American population in the TC area has increasing alot since the 1980's. You have African-Americans moving from places like Ohio and Illinois moving the St.Paul and Mpls. Yes, blacks have been moving south recently, but many blacks have gone further north too.