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6-10 were more of a toss-up. I put Memphis over Houston because Memphis has had more blacks in political positions and it has more black history than Houston.
I see your logic, but we are talking about cities that are good for blacks right now in the present day, not cities that were good for blacks and famous for black pop culture 20+ years ago.
Chicago created House music. Detroit created Motown. New Orleans created Jazz. Memphis created Blues. Dallas and Houston gave us Beyonce, Erykah Badu and Mike Jones (j/k lol) They are great artist but they cant be compared to what those cities have given the world.
Chicago/Detroit/New Orleans has more black history/black businesses/etc.
Middle/Upper Middle class is a toss-up
Black Arts/etc. Chicago has the Chosen Few Picnic and plenty of other events. New Orleans has Essence, Bayou Classic,etc. These are events that people travel across the country for to experience the black experience. Houston /Dallas signature black events cant compare to those events
Etc
Thats why I put those cities ahead. This is why I gave these cities 20 years timetable. Who knows maybe one day Houston or Dallas might rise to the top 5 position. We all thought Detroit would still be standing strong 20 years ago and look at it now. That's why this takes time to decide.
Houston doesn't have to be lumped with Dallas. Houston brought us chopped and screwed and many rappers that influenced southern rap greatly.
Y'all Atlanta boosters love to sell Houston short.
Houston has/had many black politicians. TSU produces many! The damn mayor is black for God's sake.
Chicago created House music. Detroit created Motown. New Orleans created Jazz. Memphis created Blues. Dallas and Houston gave us Beyonce, Erykah Badu and Mike Jones (j/k lol) They are great artist but they cant be compared to what those cities have given the world.
Chicago/Detroit/New Orleans has more black history/black businesses/etc.
Middle/Upper Middle class is a toss-up
Black Arts/etc. Chicago has the Chosen Few Picnic and plenty of other events. New Orleans has Essence, Bayou Classic,etc. These are events that people travel across the country for to experience the black experience. Houston /Dallas signature black events cant compare to those events
Etc
Thats why I put those cities ahead. This is why I gave these cities 20 years timetable. Who knows maybe one day Houston or Dallas might rise to the top 5 position. We all thought Detroit would still be standing strong 20 years ago and look at it now. That's why this takes time to decide.
Houston hosts SWAC Championship games and Labor Day Classic. If you can put New Orleans on a pedestal due to Bayou Classic, then you can put Birmingham up there with the Magic City Classic, which is way larger than Bayou Classic.
I actually think Houston can be top 5 honestly. Shockingly enough, Southernboy makes a point. Chicago is not a black mecca anymore. There's too much tension between blacks and whites there, plus the cultural contributions blacks makes to the overall culture from that city has severely dropped off at this point. 50 years ago? Yes, definitely! Now? Nope.
Memphis? Joke.
Baltimore? Joke.
NOLA? Joke.
Philly? Not anymore. 50 years? Yes!
Detroit? Give me a break.
If we're going to go by historic cultural contributions, then why not put L.A. and SF Bay Area up there? Despite their relatively small populations, blacks in those two cities made large contributions to black culture.
That means that Houston would be solidly be 4 right now after Atlanta, D.C., and NYC and with the way NYC is slowly pricing blacks one by one even in the most historic of black neighborhoods like Harlem, Houston may be able to eclipse it in the next 10-20 years. African Americans in NYC are leaving the city and being replaced by black immigrants who had no ties to the black American experience prior to moving here so how much of a black mecca is NYC truly is at this point? The thing that keeps it up there is that it still has the highest black population in the country by raw numbers.
I actually think Houston can be top 5 honestly. Shockingly enough, Southernboy makes a point. Chicago is not a black mecca anymore. There's too much tension between blacks and whites there, plus the cultural contributions blacks makes to the overall culture from that city has severely dropped off at this point. 50 years ago? Yes, definitely! Now? Nope.
Memphis? Joke.
Baltimore? Joke.
NOLA? Joke.
Philly? Not anymore. 50 years? Yes!
Detroit? Give me a break.
If we're going to go by historic cultural contributions, then why not put L.A. and SF Bay Area up there? Despite their relatively small populations, blacks in those two cities made large contributions to black culture.
That means that Houston would be solidly be 4 right now after Atlanta, D.C., and NYC and with the way NYC is slowly pricing blacks one by one even in the most historic of black neighborhoods like Harlem, Houston may be able to eclipse it in the next 10-20 years. African Americans in NYC are leaving the city and being replaced by black immigrants who had no ties to the black American experience prior to moving here so how much of a black mecca is NYC truly is at this point? The thing that keeps it up there is that it still has the highest black population in the country by raw numbers.
This is the best post on this subject in a while, and pretty much sums up what I was thinking. Just because a place is predominately black, has large raw numbers of black people, or was a black cultural hot spot 40 or 50 years ago, that does not make it a black mecca or a good place for blacks to live and thrive in TODAY. There is a lot more to consider, which is why naming cities like Memphis, New Orleans, Detroit, and Baltimore where blacks can't even find decent jobs and decent homes in respectable numbers is a joke.
I actually think Houston can be top 5 honestly. Shockingly enough, Southernboy makes a point. Chicago is not a black mecca anymore. There's too much tension between blacks and whites there, plus the cultural contributions blacks makes to the overall culture from that city has severely dropped off at this point. 50 years ago? Yes, definitely! Now? Nope.
Memphis? Joke.
Baltimore? Joke.
NOLA? Joke.
Philly? Not anymore. 50 years? Yes!
Detroit? Give me a break.
If we're going to go by historic cultural contributions, then why not put L.A. and SF Bay Area up there? Despite their relatively small populations, blacks in those two cities made large contributions to black culture.
That means that Houston would be solidly be 4 right now after Atlanta, D.C., and NYC and with the way NYC is slowly pricing blacks one by one even in the most historic of black neighborhoods like Harlem, Houston may be able to eclipse it in the next 10-20 years. African Americans in NYC are leaving the city and being replaced by black immigrants who had no ties to the black American experience prior to moving here so how much of a black mecca is NYC truly is at this point? The thing that keeps it up there is that it still has the highest black population in the country by raw numbers.
We finally agree. Thank you Lord. LOL.
As far as this "criteria" ish, I would put Houston with NYC in the number 3 spot or 4.
However, as far as feel, I would put Houston with Atlanta and DC or close behind. Blacks are just better mixed in within Greater Houston; there's not an area of the metro where you will not see blacks in great numbers and black establishments. People forget that North Houston and many of its suburbs have huge black populations and a great number of black establishments. And don't forget about the large population from League City to Galveston. The Woodlands and many parts of Montgomery County are lacking; however, Conroe/Willis (north of The Woodlands) has a decent sized black population, and the areas just south of The Woodlands have decent to large populations. West Houston, Katy, and Cypress are starting to pick up a plethora of blacks. Blacks in Houston aren't confined to one particular area unlike most metro areas.
No, I would put New Orleans, Detroit, Philly, NYC, Bmore over Houston if you look at the definition of black mecca. Yes I know Detroit and Bmore have crime problems/etc but according to the definition of black mecca Houston isnt in the top 5. Again we need to stop making up personal definitions of black mecca. The poster above posted the definition of black mecca. In order to be a black mecca you have to have an undisputed leading role in ALL of the qualifications listed above for at least 20 years.
Only two cities fit the definition of black mecca. Once you get below the #2 spot it shifts from "black mecca" to cities that are good for blacks. Cities that are good for blacks may have 2-4 out of the 6 qualifications listed above. I wish people would stop trying to make cities out to be different than what they are.
Yes I know several of these cities have a decreasing black population, has high crime stats, etc but I'm strictly talking about black mecca and what the definition of what a black mecca is. Its no way that Houston beats out Detroit or Chicago for the top 5 position. Those cities plus New Orleans, Philly, etc have made enough contributions to be on this list. Just because black people are moving to these "new cities" doesnt make them a black mecca. You have to have at least 20 years in the game at the #1 or #2 position at all those categories to be considered a black mecca. With the #10 list this is for up and coming cities. Like I said in order to have the black mecca label you have to have at least 20+ years of undisputed at #1 or #2 positions.
WOW what???? Blacks are doing better as a whole and are more prevalent in the corporate world in Houston than in Detroit, New orleans, Philly, Baltimore, Memphis(that's for sure) some might even argue that blacks are doing better in Houston than in Chiraq.
Also, I would put Birmingham above New Orleans and Memphis.
Oh, I do not agree with that at all! Birmingham still has far more racist attitudes than both Memphis and New Orleans. Atlanta is way more progressive in this respect than most others, expect maybe Houston.
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