Austin Revealed: Civil Rights Stories (Pflugerville, Portland: fit in, 2014, apartment)

[goolsbyjazz]

I find this thread very interesting. My family moved to Austin in 2008 and wondered about its African American history. Overall, I liked the city but noticed the gentrification, especially on the east side, and that the ethnic groups seemed to stay to themselves. People were nice, but didn't go out of their way to make our aquaintance. We were often one of a few or the only AA's at the free symphony and other community events, which I found a bit odd. Many of the native AA's I encountered felt the city was extremely racist. Not being familiar with the history I was naive. These videos help me understand their perspective. By the way, my family decided not to stay in Austin, but not for any reason other than it wasn't a good fit for us. I still like the city.

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

I find this thread very interesting. My family moved to Austin in 2008 and wondered about its African American history. Overall, I liked the city but noticed the gentrification, especially on the east side, and that the ethnic groups seemed to stay to themselves. People were nice, but didn't go out of their way to make our aquaintance. We were often one of a few or the only AA's at the free symphony and other community events, which I found a bit odd. Many of the native AA's I encountered felt the city was extremely racist. Not being familiar with the history I was naive. These videos help me understand their perspective. By the way, my family decided not to stay in Austin, but not for any reason other than it wasn't a good fit for us. I still like the city.

Interesting and thoughtful post. It makes me really sad that this thread has brought out overt racism by whites, and a sad resignation by african americans. This city is full on racist and this thread kinda proves it's worse than even the videos make it sound. Wow.

[Neo45]

Originally Posted by ImOnFiya

See newbies, in Texas some things never change. Most whites would be in freefall after hearing people talk about you that way. For us, it's normal and expected - even the hours of silence (or passive agreement) after such comments are made. People can be tough, but my family is "Texas tough" - nearly 120+ plus years in Austin area. No matter how Austin changes, we're home!

You know, as a minority and Texan born guy, I'd rather have whites who aren't afraid to speak their mind than in the closet racists who will smile and talk s**t behind your back. I would hate to have our cities like those "open minded" east coast & west coast ones where its hardcore passive aggressive crap because nobody has any balls to be up front.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by ImOnFiya

See newbies, in Texas some things never change. Most whites would be in freefall after hearing people talk about you that way. For us, it's normal and expected - even the hours of silence (or passive agreement) after such comments are made. People can be tough, but my family is "Texas tough" - nearly 120+ plus years in Austin area. No matter how Austin changes, we're home!

I fully expected that you would read something racist into that. The point is, the city was HORRIBLY mismanaged, because municipal elections were about distributing spoils based on race. The AA state senator organized an investment group of exclusively AAs, then DEMANDED that the city grant her group empowerment zone guaranteed loans to build a totally unneeded SECOND city funded convention center/hotel. In a town of just under 100K. During the council hearings, the AA mayor said, out loud, "I think we should do this. After all, we already have a white folks hotel". This was a mayor that served two terms - removed from the first after being recalled due to abusing his expense account. Recalled from his second term for abusing his assistant - making her cancel his Playboy subscription, shop for his family, order his "tummy support" t-shirts, and a whole laundry list of personal items. And still his hard core supporters felt wronged.

The point is, with VERY few exceptions, our majority AA cities are such train wrecks that NO ONE wants to live in them. Has nothing to do with race, has everything to do with good management. I'm not saying it is causation, but it is correlation. Cleveland 51% AA, 1970 population 750,000. 2010 400,000. Detroit 82% AA 1950 1.8M, 2010 700,000. Jackson, MS 80% AA 1980 202,000. 2010 175,000. Newark, NJ 54% AA. 1970 381,000. 2010 277,000. And on and on. With the possible exception of Atlanta and Birmingham, all train wrecks.

So until you have had the pleasure of living in one of these hell holes, save the racism lectures. Have you?

And OBTW - you jumped to the wrong conclusion when you decided this was in Texas. There are no majority AA cities of any decent size in the state.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by scm53

I fully expected that you would read something racist into that. The point is, the city was HORRIBLY mismanaged, because municipal elections were about distributing spoils based on race. The AA state senator organized an investment group of exclusively AAs, then DEMANDED that the city grant her group empowerment zone guaranteed loans to build a totally unneeded SECOND city funded convention center/hotel. In a town of just under 100K. During the council hearings, the AA mayor said, out loud, "I think we should do this. After all, we already have a white folks hotel". This was a mayor that served two terms - removed from the first after being recalled due to abusing his expense account. Recalled from his second term for abusing his assistant - making her cancel his Playboy subscription, shop for his family, order his "tummy support" t-shirts, and a whole laundry list of personal items. And still his hard core supporters felt wronged.

The point is, with VERY few exceptions, our majority AA cities are such train wrecks that NO ONE wants to live in them. Has nothing to do with race, has everything to do with good management. I'm not saying it is causation, but it is correlation. Cleveland 51% AA, 1970 population 750,000. 2010 400,000. Detroit 82% AA 1950 1.8M, 2010 700,000. Jackson, MS 80% AA 1980 202,000. 2010 175,000. Newark, NJ 54% AA. 1970 381,000. 2010 277,000. And on and on. With the possible exception of Atlanta and Birmingham, all train wrecks.

So until you have had the pleasure of living in one of these hell holes, save the racism lectures. Have you?

And OBTW - you jumped to the wrong conclusion when you decided this was in Texas. There are no majority AA cities of any decent size in the state.

Which city was it then that you lived in?

[scm53]

Originally Posted by wehotex

Which city was it then that you lived in?

Portsmouth, VA

[ericsami]

Originally Posted by scm53

Cleveland 51% AA, 1970 population 750,000. 2010 400,000. Detroit 82% AA 1950 1.8M, 2010 700,000. Jackson, MS 80% AA 1980 202,000. 2010 175,000. Newark, NJ 54% AA. 1970 381,000. 2010 277,000.

All the cities you have referred to were host of America's industrial centers.

These cities have declined because Industries that provided jobs have been largely either automated, closed and moved to china, or moved to low regulation states.

There are plenty of cities such as Buffalo, Pittsburgh who populations have declined to lack of jobs.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by ericsami

All the cities you have referred to were host of America's industrial centers.

These cities have declined because Industries that provided jobs have been largely either automated, closed and moved to china, or moved to low regulation states.

There are plenty of cities such as Buffalo, Pittsburgh who populations have declined to lack of jobs.

Jackson, MS? "Host of America's industrial centers"?

Whatever. And how do you explain that the Detroit metro is down 13K from 1970, while the city itself is down 800,000 in the same tine frame? The jobs stayed, the people just left a wretched city.

Bigger question is this: besides Atlanta and Birmingham, can you name five majority AA cities you'd move to and raise a family?

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by scm53

Portsmouth, VA

I've always thought that Austin was racist, even back in the 80s when I attended UT. It has the patina of progressivism because of the University, state government, LBJ aura, small population of aging hippies and slick marketing campaign. I'm truly sad for those east side folk. Actually, even more so back then because we constantly read that the fraternities and sororities would not allow minorities to join their groups and the scarcity of blacks in UT campus

[capcat]

Originally Posted by goolsbyjazz

I find this thread very interesting. My family moved to Austin in 2008 and wondered about its African American history. Overall, I liked the city but noticed the gentrification, especially on the east side, and that the ethnic groups seemed to stay to themselves. People were nice, but didn't go out of their way to make our aquaintance. We were often one of a few or the only AA's at the free symphony and other community events, which I found a bit odd. Many of the native AA's I encountered felt the city was extremely racist. Not being familiar with the history I was naive. These videos help me understand their perspective. By the way, my family decided not to stay in Austin, but not for any reason other than it wasn't a good fit for us. I still like the city.

I find the part I bolded odd, too. Especially when I go to cities like Dallas, where it seems a better mix of people. I will say it's changed a little lately in some of my old familiar haunts around Austin, but has a long way to go.

I helped a family that had moved to Austin after Katrina, and they couldn't wait to get out and move to Alabama. They said that people here go into their apartments after work and don't come out until the next morning in time to go to work, unlike the AA people who were outside greeting each other and stopping to talk. I find that people here keep to themselves more so than in other areas as well. They might do little things, like holding the door open for you, but it doesn't have what I consider a southern friendliness vibe. I'm not denying other things in the AA experience, but it feels like a cultural divide whether you're black or white if you're from another area or state, or simply used to another way of being.

Also, I talked to another AA lady from Michigan who was very uncomfortable because people here dressed so casually everywhere they went, including work. She was accustomed to dressing up for work, church, etc. and was very bothered by the informality vibe in Austin, found it sloppy.

As for the films, they didn't inform me as much as they reminded me of the way things were in America as late as the 1960's Just happened to describe where those same things happened in Austin. Elsewhere, we didn't sit in the same part of the theater, go to the same schools, receive our food the same way in a restaurant, live in the same part of town, etc. We weren't even allowed to be buried in the same cemeteries. It was a depressing time, and it's hard to believe that's the way it was not so long ago.

I could say more, for I was in high school when Anderson was closed, but that's all for now.