The difference between the South and North as far as race relations go. (compared, America)

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by cbmsu01

I will say that race relations are highly local and difficult to classify by "North" vs. "South." For example, I grew up around Lansing, Michigan, and race relations there are a lot different than they are in the Detroit Metro area.

That is another good point to consider. Can you give a detailed description of what you think about it?

[TexasReb]

Here is another "anecdote" which I think illustrates how Southern whites and blacks share a certain bond that is often difficult for non-Southerners to understand...

And I think most Southerners can relate to it..

Back in the 60's, was when that expression "soul food" first gained some popularity in the American vernacular. With most of the media and TV concerns being in the NE and California, it was associated with blacks in popular (i.e. non-Southern) mindset. The thing was, it confused many of us Southern whites because WE had eaten this great crusine described as "soul" all our lives! LOL

Well, there was (and this is a true story, remember) there was some huge plant up in Michigan (maybe they made cars) which employed so many folks they had a company cafeteria. There were all races/ethnic groups represented, including many blacks and whites originally from the South (particularly from Alabama, Tennessee and Texas).

Anyway, because of this natural diversity, there were special "food days" set aside for the respective cultures. For instance, there would be a "Greek Day" or "Italian Day" featuring the specialized foods.

Ok. Well, a group of Southern whites went to the cafeteria managment and asked about having a "Southern Day", which would feature certain good stuff like fried chicken, catfish, black-eyed peas, greens, okra and grits and cornbread! (damn, makes me hungry just to think about it! LOL)

Anyway, it was agreed to do so, and the day was posted on the company bulletin board. Problem is though, it happened to fall on the Dr. Martin Luthur King holiday!

This was just pure happenstance. But, the way it was translated to many northerners was that Southern folks from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, etc., wanted to have a menu that, on MLK Day, would include such things as fried chicken and watermelon!

Oh man! Many northerners got "offended" and thought this was an intended insult...since none of them had any experience with the South. Their whole whole way of thinking was that what they regarded as "soul food" was to be exclusively associated with a so-called "negative stereotype" of blacks, with the same mindset being that the Southern whites were making fun of them. Maybe they even expected a minstrel show...

As it turned out, not surprisingly at all, it was a group of Southern blacks who smoothed things over. They explained to management that "hey, down where we come from, ALL of us homefolk, black AND white eat this food. There is nothing racist about it."

Homefolk. That says it all...

[icequeen2008]

I can't believe I am replying to this post but its very interesting. I grew up with a very racist father who not only hated blacks but all other colors that were not white. In high school we had one black family in the whole school and everyone loved them. I raised my kids not to hate other cultures like my father did. They both have lots of friends of other cultures and I am proud I raised them that way and pride myself because I am the same way. When the movie roots came out I watched it and was so devastated. My kids also saw it. It changed the way I felt about racism the rest of my life. My kids to. In Minnesota I have to say that I dont see alot of racism in my kids generation. I work with alot of different cultures and I treat everyone equally. Sorry if I got off topic.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by icequeen2008

I can't believe I am replying to this post but its very interesting. I grew up with a very racist father who not only hated blacks but all other colors that were not white. In high school we had one black family in the whole school and everyone loved them. I raised my kids not to hate other cultures like my father did. They both have lots of friends of other cultures and I am proud I raised them that way and pride myself because I am the same way. When the movie roots came out I watched it and was so devastated. My kids also saw it. It changed the way I felt about racism the rest of my life. My kids to. In Minnesota I have to say that I dont see alot of racism in my kids generation. I work with alot of different cultures and I treat everyone equally. Sorry if I got off topic.

I am glad that you are the way you are. It is sad there are people who are a 180 from that. I would not say MN is totally free from racism because it happens there to, but the point you made about your children's generation, well, I think the turning point starts with your children's generation and my own generation.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Here is another "anecdote" which I think illustrates how Southern whites and blacks share a certain bond that is often difficult for non-Southerners to understand...

And I think most Southerners can relate to it..

Back in the 60's, was when that expression "soul food" first gained some popularity in the American vernacular. With most of the media and TV concerns being in the NE and California, it was associated with blacks in popular (i.e. non-Southern) mindset. The thing was, it confused many of us Southern whites because WE had eaten this great crusine described as "soul" all our lives! LOL

Well, there was (and this is a true story, remember) there was some huge plant up in Michigan (maybe they made cars) which employed so many folks they had a company cafeteria. There were all races/ethnic groups represented, including many blacks and whites originally from the South (particularly from Alabama, Tennessee and Texas).

Anyway, because of this natural diversity, there were special "food days" set aside for the respective cultures. For instance, there would be a "Greek Day" or "Italian Day" featuring the specialized foods.

Ok. Well, a group of Southern whites went to the cafeteria managment and asked about having a "Southern Day", which would feature certain good stuff like fried chicken, catfish, black-eyed peas, greens, okra and grits and cornbread! (damn, makes me hungry just to think about it! LOL)

Anyway, it was agreed to do so, and the day was posted on the company bulletin board. Problem is though, it happened to fall on the Dr. Martin Luthur King holiday!

This was just pure happenstance. But, the way it was translated to many northerners was that Southern folks from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, etc., wanted to have a menu that, on MLK Day, would include such things as fried chicken and watermelon!

Oh man! Many northerners got "offended" and thought this was an intended insult...since none of them had any experience with the South. Their whole whole way of thinking was that what they regarded as "soul food" was to be exclusively associated with a so-called "negative stereotype" of blacks, with the same mindset being that the Southern whites were making fun of them. Maybe they even expected a minstrel show...

As it turned out, not surprisingly at all, it was a group of Southern blacks who smoothed things over. They explained to management that "hey, down where we come from, ALL of us homefolk, black AND white eat this food. There is nothing racist about it."

Homefolk. That says it all...

You do have a point about food being part of a common bond. Many of the foods you see in "soul food" did originate in the South. Many blacks who were often traveling North would take fried chicken and put it in a shoe box because there was no guarantee one would be served at a restaurant. And alot of blacks and whites did move to places like Ohio and Michigan from the South, mainly for the factories. They brought the same cuisine with them as well as other ethnic groups did, such as Polish, Greek, Italian. You can get paczky(the Polish version of a jelly doughnut served mainly during Mardi Gras) in the Detroit area as well as sould food.

[KerrTown]

Interestingly enough on this morning's Meet the Press the pundits were talking about this topic. A pundit said that the South has been dealing with race longer than the North and he basically said that both regions are dealing with it differently because of the stage in time the region was in.

[SlickRick1]

STill a lot of segregation in the south. In the south more honest about their hatred..

[green_mariner]

This is what I was told. A family member told me that historically, this is what Dr. King Jr. said.
Dr. King said that about race relations: in the North a black man could make money, have a nice home, have things, but whites didn't want blacks living next door. In the South, a blacks could live side by side as long as they didn't try to have more money or to have nicer things and in short "know their place". Historically, this is what I have heard.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Interestingly enough on this morning's Meet the Press the pundits were talking about this topic. A pundit said that the South has been dealing with race longer than the North and he basically said that both regions are dealing with it differently because of the stage in time the region was in.

If possible, please explain your view.

[brickyard boy]

I'm a white, 17 year old Philadelphian, and have heard, and hear, the n-word spoken (in most cases very openly and somewhat off hand, and sometimes within earshot or directly aimed at african-americans) by white people of varying ages pretty frequently.
Stories of racially motivated incidents such as violence and vandalism are not all that uncommon up here either; I've seen news reports covering fights/jumpings of blacks by whites (not really so much the other way around) and heard stories of black people being run out of certain neighborhoods and having their homes burned down.