Is Boston racist?!?!?!? (Cambridge, Concord: work, housing, college)

[ChunkyMonkey]

Originally Posted by Ozzie1

Starting to wonder what the point of this entire thread is...? Racism, in it's various forms exists everywhere to some degree. Nothing posted here gives me any reason to believe that Boston is better or worse then any other city in this regard.

I absolutely agree with this. This thread is pointless. Hopefully, it will be locked soon.

[GettinOuttaHereMA]

Boston is not racist, not that I have ever experienced. They have other things on their mind.

[seldomseen]

I wouldn't consider Boston to be a "racist" city...it isn't the most diverse city in the U.S. and it's minority population is actually low when you base the numbers proportionally. The Boston metro area, and Mass, as a whole is very segregated...and the city's and states segretation is pretty much common knowledge.

[seldomseen]

This thread is actually excellent, and as long as intelligent discussions are carried out it's find. Many non-whites feel, believe, and experiences many forms of racisms in Ma. UMass Boston released a study recently that indicated that racism is still alive and well in Ma, and many minorities are still reporting that it's still a problem, when it comes to employment, education, housing, etc.

Ignoring this thread is similiar to perpetuaing a problem...why not discuss a reputation that Boston has long/still has???

[ChunkyMonkey]

Because Boston is unremarkable in terms of racism. It is about as racist as any major city in the U.S. Sure it had a bad racist past, but so did most U.S. cities. So, why must it be singled out?

[pushkinswife]

This is a very interesting thread. I am an African-American and have been considering relocating to Boston. Its one of the many cities i have been looking act. Its interesting because Dr Johnson who is the superintendent of Memphis City schools has actually been offered a position as superintendant of Boston public schools-she announced this week she will be accepting the position. She is an African-American. Its hard taking the perspectives of others when you are not actually in that location. i live in Memphis and I current work as a chemist for a large pharma company. People would say Memphis is racist, crime ridden, and not a good city to live. But I love it here. however, Memphis is one of the most segregated cities in the U.S. We even have a 2 headed government...2 mayors, 2 school systems. It is about 63% African American. I am not sure what the percentage in Boston is. Nonetheless, I feel that it exists everywhere. I am interested, however, in places to live in Boston. Or parts of town that are preferable. I live in an area of Memphis called midtown which is very ecclectic and diverse. I would love to live in an area of Boston that is similiar. Any suggestions?

[nooneknowsmyname]

Originally Posted by pushkinswife

This is a very interesting thread. I am an African-American and have been considering relocating to Boston. Its one of the many cities i have been looking act. Its interesting because Dr Johnson who is the superintendent of Memphis City schools has actually been offered a position as superintendant of Boston public schools-she announced this week she will be accepting the position. She is an African-American. Its hard taking the perspectives of others when you are not actually in that location. i live in Memphis and I current work as a chemist for a large pharma company. People would say Memphis is racist, crime ridden, and not a good city to live. But I love it here. however, Memphis is one of the most segregated cities in the U.S. We even have a 2 headed government...2 mayors, 2 school systems. It is about 63% African American. I am not sure what the percentage in Boston is. Nonetheless, I feel that it exists everywhere. I am interested, however, in places to live in Boston. Or parts of town that are preferable. I live in an area of Memphis called midtown which is very ecclectic and diverse. I would love to live in an area of Boston that is similiar. Any suggestions?

I am an African American who lived in Boston for 20+ years, grew up in a small town approximately 35 miles from Boston. My family has lived in Massachusetts since the 1860s and my mother and son still live there.
Boston's African American population is less than Memphis'; it is approximately 25%. Some Boston neighborhoods to consider are the South End, Back Bay, The Fenway. You could also consider living in Cambridge, which is eclectic and diverse. Cambridge is close to Boston, across the Charles River and easily accessible by the T (the subway). Be prepared for sticker shock as I am certain the housing costs--both to rent and purchase-- are higher in the Boston area than in Memphis. You can check Craigslist to see what's available and what the prices are. Good luck.

[CityGirl52]

If you can afford a place in Cambridge, then you GO for it. I just saw today on the Trip Advisor site a guy that recently bought a condo near MIT and paid between 450 & 600 thousand. That's considered a BARGAIN???! Hope you have much happiness wherever you live in the surrounding greater Boston area or if you find a place right in the heart of our lovely City.

I think you will absolutely love the diversity of the places mentioned here to live. Cambridge always always had a reputation of being a very cool place to live, I went to school there many many moons ago (ok, early 70's!) and it was hip then and it still IS to this day, no going around that fact jack! Good Luck & Much Happiness!

Now can we just shut this racism in Boston thread down please, could we? I know there's still a lot of you out there that want to discuss this further and want it to be intelligently discussed and all that, but can we talk about other things here besides this "racism in Boston?" I think it's old news and beaten to death big time, especially by the media, by a lot of out of staters and out of towners that don't have a clue a lot of times on what they're saying about it all. There's so many things to see and do in the City of Boston. People in our society now, have WAY more on their plates than ever before, between there jobs, there families, there busy lives. All of us, no matter what nationality, no matter where we're from. There's lives to lead, people to meet, jobs to do...can we please? Pretty please??? Could we just change the subject of this particular thread, change the topic or whatever you have to do?? There's just enough hatred in the world with all the drugs, guns and violence out there now and you know? That's the root of all the evil, don't you think?? Get rid of the drugs, get rid of the guns and that'll get rid of the hate in our society. SO much of it, it's such a shame to see the ugliness come out.

[choctawmicmac]

In Boston I kept getting told I must not be Canadian because "Canada doesn't have people your colour." I was told to my face I was lying about having a college degree (B.A., Environmental Sciences/Math minor, San Francisco State, 1997). I get told everywhere, but more pointedly in Boston, that I am lying about being Choctaw and Micmac Indian. Anyone claiming Boston isn't racist is a WHITE person!

So take these answers with a grain of salt. Now, true, in Boston they act like the only races are White and Black. So Hispanics pretty much get treated "like Black." If that isn't your idea of racist...then have fun there!! They have tokenism when it comes to blacks. No other race. Just blacks and whites. In spite of the fact that there are supposedly a lot of my fellow Micmacs there, I got treated "like black" just like most other places, and Boston is one of the most awful nasty racist hellholes I've ever tried to get a Math teaching job in!!

If treating you like you either don't exist or are some other race entirely no matter what you say to the contrary ("you're lying!") doesn't constitute your idea of "racism"...don't laugh. Most people I talk to, don't see it this way! I feel like instead of majoring in how to teach Math at SFSU I should have majored in "how to explain what constitutes RACISM".....!!

[BlackMoses]

Originally Posted by seldomseen

This thread is actually excellent, and as long as intelligent discussions are carried out it's find. Many non-whites feel, believe, and experiences many forms of racisms in Ma. UMass Boston released a study recently that indicated that racism is still alive and well in Ma, and many minorities are still reporting that it's still a problem, when it comes to employment, education, housing, etc.

Ignoring this thread is similiar to perpetuaing a problem...why not discuss a reputation that Boston has long/still has???

Great point... but then again, people who are blind won't see the reality...

My initial point was that Boston DOES have racism and STILL deals with it... and for a place that's stereotyped to be some sort of "haven" from things that occur in other places, it doesn't live up to it.

Boston is a beautiful place to grow up, from the great things you'll experience, both enjoyably and through hard times... and i wouldn't have chosen anywhere else to be raised. I guess being non-white, I can swallow the pill that racial issues do happen here, moreso than our neighboring major-cities... and obviously if you're white living in Boston, these issues will be blind to you if you choose to not pay attention to them and/or if they don't affect you in any way.