What city will replace Atlanta as the new black mecca? (East Point: apartments, condo)

[tman12]

Does anybody know how kawanza got started

[kdogg817]

Originally Posted by MantaRay

Mecca isn't the best place. If you think about it, the term "Mecca" is a metaphor for where the greatest Muslim pilgrimmage in the world is. It refers to a place of cultural prominence. Cultural prominence. That manifests itself not only in food, music, clothing, and other aspects normally considered to define culture, but also in professional prominence.

Nobody calls Dallas or Charlotte black meccas because Dallas and Charlotte don't have a Morehouse College and a Spelman College and a Clark Atlanta University and a Morris Brown. Dallas and Charlotte have not had the prominence of black mayor after black mayor to the degree that Atlanta has. Dallas and Charlotte don't have the extent of black business that Atlanta has. I don't think Dallas and Charlotte even touch Atlanta on soul food restaurants. Dallas and Charlotte are not epicenters of black music like Atlanta is, with the numbers of well known black recording artists coming from or living in the city. TLC, Jermaine Dupree, Usher, Lil John, Lloyd, Outkast, etc. And now Tyler Perry is making Atlanta into an epicenter of black film. Don't expect Dallas and Charlotte to follow suit. Atlanta hosts the annual Atlanta Classic between Tennessee State University and Florida A&M University, sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta. What does Dallas and Charlotte do that is comparable?

Black mecca is about black culture. That's what you define black mecca as. And Atlanta easily beats out Dallas and Charlotte for black culture. Culture is about more than just people congregating. Therefore the phrase "black mecca" is also.

In that case Dallas is capital of black radio. Steve harvey, tom joyner, Ricky smiley and Micheal basian are all based out of Dallas. Also the most known black bishop in America also resides in Dallas. Erkayu Badu and Kirk Franklin are from Dallas and reside in Dallas lol I can go on and on about praising Dallas etc. Atlanta is not the only American city where African Americans prosper. There is no such thing as a black mecca in the United States.

[atlantaATL]

Originally Posted by kdogg817

The bottom line is your wrong Atlanta is not the only city in America that offers great opportunities for black people. Every U.S. cities offer great opportunities some offer more than others depending on your field. This is a Atlanta thread so bias will exist.

Sure every city has something for everyone But when you live in a city the has the most black owned buisnesses. The entire goverment is ran by blacks the population is majority black its rank high for having the most black millionaires. You have more african americans students graduating out of atlanta than any other city. Also having 3 Hbcu school And an abudance of black upscale nieghborhoods. So when people see that there going to call it A black Mecca Because Black dominates the city

[atlantaATL]

Originally Posted by kdogg817

In that case Dallas is capital of black radio. Steve harvey, tom joyner, Ricky smiley and Micheal basian are all based out of Dallas. Also the most known black bishop in America also resides in Dallas. Erkayu Badu and Kirk Franklin are from Dallas and reside in Dallas lol I can go on and on about praising Dallas etc. Atlanta is not the only American city where African Americans prosper. There is no such thing as a black mecca in the United States.

You guys dont get black people dont dominate Dallas and charlotte blacks are more prosperous in atlanta than any other places more more more there are more of it, There are alot of blacks prosperous in houston chicago etc. But there is alot more of it in Atlanta than those places thats why they call it black mecca

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by kdogg817

In that case Dallas is capital of black radio. Steve harvey, tom joyner, Ricky smiley and Micheal basian are all based out of Dallas. Also the most known black bishop in America also resides in Dallas. Erkayu Badu and Kirk Franklin are from Dallas and reside in Dallas lol I can go on and on about praising Dallas etc. Atlanta is not the only American city where African Americans prosper. There is no such thing as a black mecca in the United States.

If I'm not mistaken the point of the original question of Atlanta being/staying a 'black mecca' has nothing to do with whether it's the ONLY city blacks can prosper in, or even the only one where they do so in large numbers. Obviously that would be a dumb argument.

To say something is a 'mecca' of something just means that that place occupies a certain extra symbolic importance for something in particular in people's imagination. To make all kinds of mathematical arguments about it kind of misses the point.

The fact is: San Francisco for a long time was viewed as a Gay mecca. OK?

New York City has long been seen as a bohemian mecca (think 1950s heroin-taking jazz genuises, beat poets, etc.). Got it?

Alright. Along these same lines, it is perfectly legitimate to claim that Atlanta is a "Black mecca" simply because, why? I don't know why, it just is. It symbolizes to people a certain new wealth of opportunities for young, ambitous black people who want to consolidate their position in the burgeoning black middle (and upper) class in this country. And so, once it starts to be a symbol for this, people start to flock to it for that very reason. And when you have people flocking to a place for basically symbolic reasons (not in the sense of false) you by definition have a 'mecca'.

OK, got it people? It's really no more complicated than that.

But if you people want to keep on going round in circles about stats and salaries and singers in this or that city, suit yourself.

As for me, I'm officially bored with this thread.

[Eyesys]

I have the same question. I heard a couple years ago that it was going to be Dallas, TX...Nowadays I'm hearing Charlotte. Who knows. I don't know if there will or should be a black mecca.

[AtlMuslimah]

After having read through some of these comments, I stop reading; but back to OP's original question. Do NOT go looking nor following the hype for the next Black mecca city! Ok! You'll only whine up disappointing yourself; instead look for the city that offers you better opportunities in whatever career field that you choose, diversity of people and whatever leisure activities you like to engage in during your off time from work. You're already disappointed with Atlanta for whatever reason(s). So don't go following that trail again.

The magazines and BET only portray cities as such for being the next "Black Mecca" to attract the revenue that they need to sustain themselves. It's called taxes and you're just another number added to the population as far as the politicians are concerned. Give it some extra

[Eyesys]

One more thing. I'm black and lesbian. My GF and I thought ATL would be a great place for us since ATL is also considered a "black gay mecca". So we visited, and it just wasn't our cup of tea to say the least. So the point is, just because it's considered a "mecca" doesn't mean that it's FOR YOU!!! I wanted soooooooo much to like ATL, but we just weren't feeling it.
Regardless of what the mecca is in 10 years (when you'll be done with school), seek a city that is based on your preferences and dislikes. Visit the city as if you're not a tourist, read as much as you can. You may find that the supposed "mecca" is not your mecca.

good luck kid.

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by atlantaATL

Sure every city has something for everyone But when you live in a city the has the most black owned buisnesses. The entire goverment is ran by blacks the population is majority black its rank high for having the most black millionaires. You have more african americans students graduating out of atlanta than any other city. Also having 3 Hbcu school And an abudance of black upscale nieghborhoods. So when people see that there going to call it A black Mecca Because Black dominates the city

That may be true, but what the OP brought up is that Atlanta's black percentage is shrinking. This could change the percentage of businesses owned by blacks in the city, it could change the race of the elected officials, etc. If demograpic changes continue, black dominace of the city could cease within the next decade.

[atlantaATL]

Originally Posted by BringBackCobain

That may be true, but what the OP brought up is that Atlanta's black percentage is shrinking. This could change the percentage of businesses owned by blacks in the city, it could change the race of the elected officials, etc. If demograpic changes continue, black dominace of the city could cease within the next decade.

Thats true to But there leaving the city limits but there moving to places like decatur college park clayton county etc so they really not going far. there just moving out of the city.