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I see nothing wrong with any race liking a certain city better than others ,but I dont see it beeing so true as some would have you believe in Atlanta.Espoecially when facts don't support it.Atlanta is just as popular with whites as it is with blacks.(at least before the housing crisis).Yet some people say this is true.Yet D.C is very similar in its pattern of growth and demographics .I know the whole black mecca thing about Atlanta but D.C. is still known by many as Chocolate city.Just as many whites move to Atlanta as they do in D.C.Same is true for blacks so why this not spoken when it comes to D.C.?
Interesting observation. I've thought about the same thing myself.
Atlanta will probably never be as popular as some other cities with more liberal whites. As part of the South, Atlanta is still stigmatized. That's not going away anytime soon. It also lacks a lot of the old world charm of cities like Boston or DC. So I doubt you'll ever hear too many people go nuts over Atlanta the way they do San Francisco.
DC is old news. Georgia, specifically the Atlanta area, has a growing film industry and is the homebase for many black celebrities and people trying to restart their music and film careers. The city also has a thriving black middle and upper class and is MUCH MUCH cheaper than DC. The weather in Atlanta is much nicer, the entire metropolitan area is more laid back, and Atlanta is home to several HBCUs that attract students who end up staying in metro Atlanta.
DC is just a governmental center with an HBCU. The middle class in DC is mainly derived from people in government jobs. With the economy the way that it is, government jobs are becoming more and more scarce, meaning a declining DC black middle class. DC doesn't have the entertainment industry of Atlanta. DC used to be the place back in the 1970s, but no more. It is a dull, roll up the city at 5 PM kind of place. Atlanta is better for young black professionals.
Wrong on just about all counts. DC has far more high-paying jobs than Atlanta, and not just in government. Government makes up only 12% of DC area employment.
DC has jobs in the tech sector, universities, healthcare, retail, law firms, restaurants, hotels, transportation, entertainment, etc., etc. Hell, they're even building casinos in Maryland now.
Wrong on just about all counts. DC has far more high-paying jobs than Atlanta, and not just in government. Government makes up only 12% of DC area employment. DC has jobs in the tech sector, universities, healthcare, retail, restaurants, hotels, transportation, entertainment, etc., etc. Hell, they're even building casinos in Maryland now.
While I don't agree with everything he said, I do think that Atlanta is winning the hearts and minds of younger (and older) blacks in a way DC is not. There's a sense of "going back to our roots" that's involved in making the pilgrimage to Atlanta.
Good question and I wonder about an area like Memphis, which is probably has one of the highest Black percentage for a metro in the US.
I also wonder about the change in percentages due to more people identifying with two or more races, in spite of socio-historical aspects.
Then, you have many Northern cities that have higher percentages of Black people as well. So, it is interesting. With that said, I think it has to do with the fact that there is a higher percentage of Blacks in and outside of the city of Atlanta within the Atlanta metro area.
While I don't agree with everything he said, I do think that Atlanta is winning the hearts and minds of younger (and older) blacks in a way DC is not. There's a sense of "going back to our roots" that's involved in making the pilgrimage to Atlanta.
I think this is the case with Southern cities with newer development in say the Carolinas, Tennessee and select cities in other Southern states. While many Whites with Northern roots move to many of these cities, the movement of Black folks from other regions to other cities, big and small, in the region can't be overlooked.
I think this is the case with Southern cities with newer development in say the Carolinas, Tennessee and select cities in other Southern states. While many Whites with Northern roots move to many of these cities, the movement of Black folks from other regions to other cities, big and small, in the region can't be overlooked.
There's no doubt about that. A lot of people are moving from northern cities to small towns in Virginia, NC, SC, etc. But there's also no question that Atlanta specifically has become a spiritual homeland of sorts for African Americans.
With that said, I think it has to do with the fact that there is a higher percentage of Blacks in and outside of the city of Atlanta within the Atlanta metro area.
Yeah, but the difference is not that significant. When you turn on public television in both cities, you see a black mayor, black school superintendent (for DC at least), majority black city council, etc, etc, etc. The two cities are very similar in many ways. Yet you never hear anyone say, "DC is a great city for the blacks."
If Atlanta were built like Charleston, I think it would be way more popular than it currently is.
DC does not get dead 5pm DC is much more of a 24 hour city than ATL is...
Atlanta is country....
Uh, yes it does. There are some exceptions like Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, and Georgetown. However, most of the city shuts down when the workers go home. DC is anything but 24 hours. Atlanta is not a 24 hour city either. It is more geared toward entertainment.
Atlanta is country as hell. There's no denying that. It still manages to attract more middle and wealthy blacks though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer
Wrong on just about all counts. DC has far more high-paying jobs than Atlanta, and not just in government. Government makes up only 12% of DC area employment.
DC has jobs in the tech sector, universities, healthcare, retail, law firms, restaurants, hotels, transportation, entertainment, etc., etc. Hell, they're even building casinos in Maryland now.
Not wrong at all. Government rules DC. Should the federal government ever shut down, DC would be crippled. Atlanta has more Fortune 500 companies than DC and a diverse private sector. On top of that Atlanta is a governmental center too. DC is old news. Just accept it.
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