Northern Blacks and Southern Blacks? (White, Avera: live, hospitable, cities)

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by bizchick86

I find black people in general in Atlanta to be more professional and rather "worldly." There's quite a bit of stereotyping in some previous posts that are really comparing how people act among different classes. Class has more of an effect than geography in that respect.

Bizchick....Could you explain this a little further please. Worldly? Different Classes?

[YBF]

Originally Posted by coolyfett

Bizchick....Could you explain this a little further please. Worldly? Different Classes?

I was thinking the same thing maybe they are "worldy" because most are not from here but other parts of the world? LOL "worldly"

[YBF]

Originally Posted by bizchick86

There are some cultural differences between northern blacks and southern blacks, but I try not to generalize and put whole groups of people in boxes. I would say, as a southern black female myself, the overall friendliness of all races is what attracts me to the people down south more than up north. I find black people in general in Atlanta to be more professional and rather "worldly." There's quite a bit of stereotyping in some previous posts that are really comparing how people act among different classes. Class has more of an effect than geography in that respect.
As far as general race relations up north and down south, racism is going to be wherever you move. However, while Atlanta is segregated, I never experienced the overt racism one would expect in the south. Further, if you think about it, how many major cities lack segregation? Even the most "diverse" cities, like LA or NY have very segregated neighborhoods.

Because Atlanta's in the south, people like to highlight it more more, but growing up it did not feel racially tense. My best buddies growing up were white, black, Indian, even Bosnian, Cambodian, and Vietnamese chicks. I enjoyed the diversity of my high school (about 40% black, 20-30% white, and solid percentages of everyone else) and we interacted very much. Statistically, the county I grew up in (Dekalb) was the second most diverse in the country.

I personally feel more racial tension in New York City than I did in Atlanta, of course things are different when you're thinking about employment and housing, but at least socially during my childhood I did not feel that kind of racist vibe.

bizchick86 is 86 the year your were born?

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by YBF

I was thinking the same thing maybe they are "worldy" because most are not from here but other parts of the world? LOL "worldly"

I am not exactly sure, so I am giving the lady the chance to explain that line. Especially with that "churchy" topic going on. My thing is even though I am black, I feel like a minority because of the things I hear other blacks here say. Like I told some cats in my apartments I was going to the Dogwood Fest at Piedmont and they started saying Piedmont is for gay people while sitting around drinking beer, like that show "King of the Hill" or another time I offered to take this girl to see Robin Williams at The Fox ....and she was like "that cracker ain't funny!!".....just things like that kinda suck, when you try to share events and info with people who look like me and they have those kind of responses. Weird

[dampwire]

A friend of mine told me this "People do what People do". The things that you like may be very different from your friends,you know, different strokes for different folks. It's like Carlton from the Fresh Prince of BelAir liking Tom Jones. It sounded Odd to his cousin, Will, who was from Philly. They were both black but just experienced different upbringings. One of my friends actually went to see him recently and she's a black Northern. She likes Monster Trucks and is an avid traveler. She Speaks Chinese and has her son learning mandarin as well. All this is to say, keep being you and going on your own to enjoy things you like to do. I think someone said this earlier but, "Keep doing you"

[coolyfett]

lol I was the one who said it. I was just sharing recent examples.

[Scott Summers]

Coolyfett is right, this isn't really a Northern Black one ups the Southern Black thing (not in my opinion anyway). This is more of the pretentious crab in the bucket mentality (and close-minded) that you can find anywhere in this country. I grew up around the Southern, Northern, and Western versions and they're all alike. I'm still a Braves fan and I know some Blacks who hate it because "It's a white sport", I like the Falcons and I know some Blacks who think that "They just hyping that white kid up" so they don't follow the Dirty Birds anymore. I think some Blacks feel that they should fit a certain stereotype which repels their mind to certain things (speech, dress, mannerisms, etc). My mindset is that I have no culture so I will borrow from others but I don't want my ignorance on things to hold me back (If Black Americans realized this fact we'd be better off). I'm done with the rant now.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by bizchick86

There are some cultural differences between northern blacks and southern blacks, but I try not to generalize and put whole groups of people in boxes. I would say, as a southern black female myself, the overall friendliness of all races is what attracts me to the people down south more than up north. I find black people in general in Atlanta to be more professional and rather "worldly." There's quite a bit of stereotyping in some previous posts that are really comparing how people act among different classes. Class has more of an effect than geography in that respect.
As far as general race relations up north and down south, racism is going to be wherever you move. However, while Atlanta is segregated, I never experienced the overt racism one would expect in the south. Further, if you think about it, how many major cities lack segregation? Even the most "diverse" cities, like LA or NY have very segregated neighborhoods.

Because Atlanta's in the south, people like to highlight it more more, but growing up it did not feel racially tense. My best buddies growing up were white, black, Indian, even Bosnian, Cambodian, and Vietnamese chicks. I enjoyed the diversity of my high school (about 40% black, 20-30% white, and solid percentages of everyone else) and we interacted very much. Statistically, the county I grew up in (Dekalb) was the second most diverse in the country.

I personally feel more racial tension in New York City than I did in Atlanta, of course things are different when you're thinking about employment and housing, but at least socially during my childhood I did not feel that kind of racist vibe.

You took the words out of my mouth.Whats ignored up North is often showcased as being "typical" southern in the South.Besides many people move down here and move to the suburbs after living in the cities up North.Suburbs are more conservative with people with less tolerance and diversity.Not all the time but more so than in the cities.The same attitudes exist in NYC.Staten Island comes to mind.Talk about racism!!OMG!!That's not even the suburbs!!

[Jpierpont]

Originally Posted by aries4118

It's culture...in my opinion, Southern Blacks and Southern Whites have much more in common with each other than Southern Blacks do with Northern Blacks.


Southern Black Culture and Southern White Culture are very, very similar...only slight, minute differences (if any). My point--here in the American South, it's just Southern Culture.

(if the arbitrary, invented racial divide can be overcome...and I hope it will eventually...it will be such a beautiful (Southern!) thing!)

You know most Northern Blacks are culturally Southern? Some call Northern Black towns and neighborhood second tier Southern cities. Also Black Americans both north and south have a different culture than white Southerners. I've seen the crowds at Nascar and Country music events.
The racial divid isn't just color it is culture, hair texture, political beliefs and family value differences.

[Jpierpont]

Why are people here trying to make segregation mean racism.