Race Relations in Boston (Cambridge, Wellesley: neighborhood, public schools, university)

[corncob06]

I'm a undergraduate engineering major in California, and I'm applying for graduate studies in the Boston area (guess which two schools . I wanted to find out about what natives there think about race relations, especially for and toward African Americans. I don't know much about the area beyond school brochures, brief interview stays and high school American history. But what I have heard out here is that Boston has a considerable about of racism, more so than other places. Is this true? What can I expect about the community if I decide to attend school there?

[Bostonian08]

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[MovingForward]

There is no place on earth without racism (or sexism, or homophobia, or speciesism, etc.). That said, you have less to worry about in Boston than almost anywhere else. If you plan on going to one of those mystery schools----and will be living in Cambridge, don't even give it a passing thought. It's cool.

[smarty]

I agree with what everyone says...

Boston's percentage of black college student is small... even smaller with faculty. Not sure if it matters.

I heard rumor... dating is difficult... dating the same race is even more difficult. Let us know if this is true when you get here.

[NorthernCalifornia]

what i noticed in boston (coming from california) was that people interact with other races more often than you find in California and that it's generally more humane on a day-to-day level but that in terms of achievement, success and opportunity the scales are way off.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by smarty

I agree with what everyone says...

Boston's percentage of black college student is small... even smaller with faculty. Not sure if it matters.

I heard rumor... dating is difficult... dating the same race is even more difficult. Let us know if this is true when you get here.

So, how would you assess interracial dating in the Boston area? If one of the small percentage of black college and graduate students was willing to date interracially, would it still be difficult to find dates (in comparison to other races/ethnicities)?

Thank you (and anyone else) who can comment on this subject.

[nate14ri]

my sister is in an interacial marriage in boston (they live in lynn) and she's never had any problems what so ever. They just had thier first child this past january and people could care less about the skin tone of the baby, they just want to squeeze her cheeks. But i just wanted to reiterate that Boston is a very liberal and educated city. People are smart enough to see past the skin color of someone and understand that that the color of your skin has nothing to do with who the person inside really is.

[WannaGoHome]

there are multiple threads on this topic if you search. to answer though, Boston is a city. A vibrant, wordly city. There are many different faces here. I'm multiracial (with curly curly hair) and my husband is korean. We've haven't gotten any more weird looks than we've gotten anywhere else (we like to think it's just because we're both so darn fine people can't help but stare. haha. that's what we say at least *rolls eyes*. I've lived in the deep south, mid-atlantic states, california, and now Boston. I've found Boston to be the most open-minded place i've been.

and someone said that california is more segregated. I agree. There is a lot of segregation in southern california. Even at my university where people mingled of course, there was a lot of separation (even within clubs/fraternities/sororities). The cultural greeks were always bigger than the Order of Omega greeks (which were dominated by caucasians). Now, this was only my experience in my college.

Boston is great and the schools are even better. You can't let fear of idiots rule your life. Unfortunately they are everyone.

[kharing]

The things you heard about Boston being a racist city are based on truth - but things have changed since the 70's and 80's.

I remember when Dee Brown (Celtics) moved to the suburbs (Wellesley) and was treated like a criminal by the police years ago.

Doubt that would happen now.

[Celticz617]

BOSTON IS NOT RACIST AT ALL

I'm Puerto Rican lived in Boston my whole life. I went to school with Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Asians, and some whites. I have NEVER seen or experienced any racism. At school I rolled with blacks, hispanics and a crazy white kid and all my classes where mixed races noone was EVER racist.

What alot of people don't seem to understand about the Boston bus riot thing is it wasn't all about race. Infact I think race had to do with less than 10% of it. South Boston back then was mostly all irish. People grew up all living in the same neighborhood all going to the same public schools the same school all there parents and relatives went to then one day someone from the city just said some of you will have to go to school somewhere else and other kids that arent from the area will be going to your school. Thats where the problem was. How would you like it if you lived in a tight neighborhood where everyone knew everyone everyone went to the same schools for generations and then one day someone said 'your gonna have to go to school somewhere else and some other kids not from the hood will be going to your school' ? how would you responde? I'm not defending racism cause thats a completley different topic but i'm just saying.

Another thing about Boston is the inner city Boston and some of the urban cities around it are all mixed raced but if you go out to the suburbs its 99% white people.

Colleges will probally be mostly white with alot of people from around the country like you so i cant comment on that.

DO NOT listen to the FALSE steryotype that Bostom is racist ITS NOT!!! dont listen to these people that try to rep Boston when they live 30 minutes away they know nothing im from the streets of the bean straight up