Is Highland Park racist? (Dallas, Austin: appointed, fit in, rent)

[Spree]

Some stories and news items from the Park Cities:

But amid the chaos of the ensuing weeks, the two families – one white and affluent, the other black and middle class – forged a deep bond that has surpassed the limits of mere friendship.
University Park woman takes in family fleeing a hurricane, for the second time | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/090208dnmetmccrayfamily.3f1f7c9.html - broken link)

For the first time in its 23 years of community service, La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas committed $15,000 to the Highland Park High School chapter of Habitat for Humanity to help the student organization construct a home for Doris Stonum and her daughter, Ashley.
La Fiesta Helps Construct Home | Articles & Archives | Park Cities People serving the communities of Highland Park, University Park, and Turtle Creek (http://www.peoplenewspapers.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publicatio ns%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F7 91&tier=4&id=979944318C4C4125BF6AE13A3FF9A7E1&AudI D=DA7D68F24889442D98449D08560D8327 - broken link)

Neema Kimathi reacts to being named prom queen of the Highland Park High School Prom at the Belo Mansion.
Park Cities Neighborhood Pictures 4/27/07 | Slide Show Titles/Pages | Park Cities People serving the communities of Highland Park, University Park, and Turtle Creek (http://www.peoplenewspapers.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=SlideShow&mod=Design%3A%3 ASlide+Show+Titles&mid=C2C52131592148DFADC1450BF8A 03C9A&id=8BAE00ABCCA3417AAF4FEEEA5EB4257C&AudID=DA 7D68F24889442D98449D08560D8327&tier=3&p=7 - broken link)

Friends and family cheered with sheer delight in Dallas, Los Angeles and around the world Sunday night as Mylan walked onstage to accept the Oscar for her documentary "Smile Pinki," a story about a young girl from rural India whose life was changed after her cleft palate was repaired.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/f...480587247.html

HPHS Science Team Continues Winning Streak
HPHS Science Team Continues Winning Streak | Articles & Archives | Park Cities People serving the communities of Highland Park, University Park, and Turtle Creek (http://www.peoplenewspapers.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publicatio ns%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F7 91&tier=4&id=E16A7FFE12CF45EC9E92D219A3D0A4E3&AudI D=DA7D68F24889442D98449D08560D8327 - broken link)

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

OK, but I still have not heard anything which points to racism. I can certainly see that blacks may choose not to live in HP because they don't want to be THAT much of a minority, so it may not be that there is anything going on towards blacks, you know? I mean, I would not go live in an all-Chinese neighborhood. I just wouldn't want to be the ONE white person there. It could be the same with this. Or there could be racism, I don't know, I just still haven't heard anything that suggests to me there is racism in 2009 there. If there is, please do tell me, I do want to know. I just don't want to assume racism just b/c an area is all white, any more than I would assume racism in an all-Chinese area, or all Black area, etc. Races other than the dominant might just prefer to live with more diversity.

It was the "mexicans are tolerated b/c they have a good work ethic" that I thought sounded off. I mean, that sounds like a. It's implying that blacks aren't tolerated because they DON'T have a good work ethic (which sounds racist to me to group an entire race like that) and b. It sounds like you're saying if you met a Mexican person, you'd pretty much assume they are nannies or housecleaners. And while there may be a lot of Mexicans filling those jobs in HP, to assume someone is that b/c they are Mexican? It just sounds off to me, they could be university-educated professors at SMU. Are they tolerated? Or only Mexican nannies with good work ethics? See what I'm saying?

Anyway, I'm not trying to start a firestorm, just trying to find out what specifically makes someone who says HP is racist believe that. Like I said, I've come in contact with a lot more issues in diverse areas we've lived so being in a diverse area doesn't necessarily mean there is no racism. And I'm not going to assume there is not racism because an area is all white. Until I hear WHY.

I understand what you're saying. I wish I could help, but things have changed (for the better) so much that even if people are racist, they keep it to themselves for the most part. I can only speak of the past that I know of (mostly the 1970s), the Park Cities were notoriously racist then. This was even spoken of by other whites. I don't recall people using the term DWB (driving while black) back then like you hear now, but it was common for black people to get pulled over while driving through UP and HP back then, usually at night but not always. Going from south to north in Dallas, that area can be a bit difficult to avoid!
Maybe to younger people that seems so long ago that they don't even think about it, but to those of us who were alive then, it seems like it was yesterday.
As for now, I don't know. I don't know if a black family would feel welcomed there or not. It pretty insular, I'm not sure if I would feel welcomed there!

[grindin]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

It was the "mexicans are tolerated b/c they have a good work ethic" that I thought sounded off. I mean, that sounds like a. It's implying that blacks aren't tolerated because they DON'T have a good work ethic (which sounds racist to me to group an entire race like that) and b. It sounds like you're saying if you met a Mexican person, you'd pretty much assume they are nannies or housecleaners.

That particular poster is known for his disdain for African-Americans on this board, so no surprise that stood out to you.

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by grindin

That particular poster is known for his disdain for African-Americans on this board, so no surprise that stood out to you.

When I first read this I thought you were saying that about ME!! Yikes!!

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it!! I don't know what we'll do, but I do feel better informed now.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

frogandtoad:

I have an Uncle Im very close with who lives in Highland Park and sends his kids to HPISD. I asked him his opinion on race in Highland Park and he told me that back in the 60's there was a very large effort to keep the neighborhood only white. That continued until the beginning of the 70's. Eventually around the 80's as more affluent African Americans and Latinos came to Dallas, the community came to terms with the fact that minorites would move into the neighborhood.

Now the attitude has shifted according to him. The attitude now is not to try and keep people out based on race, but to keep people out based on socioeconomic status. In other words, they would rather have affluent African-Americans or Latinos than middle class whites. However the place is still overwhelmingly white so most minorities have no interest in it because they dont want to feel like the only ones there (similar to the all Chinese example you gave).

Now thats what my Uncle who has lived there for 20 years had to say. However, I personally couldnt live there. I have a high need for diversity. I dont want to live in a place where everyone is one kind of person. Dallas is a very very diverse place. There are other upper class neighborhoods that would probably fit you too.

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by LAnative10

There are other upper class neighborhoods that would probably fit you too.

Such as? Any input would be great.

Would need to have excellent schools and both house and neighborhood with some character. I do not want an enormous house, and this has been a problem in my searches. I am fine with 3,500-4,000 sq. ft. with really nice finishes and for sure nothing over 5,000 sf (at the outside--I really don't even want something that big). I feel like most places when I go up in price, the sq. footage just keeps going up!

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

Such as? Any input would be great.

Would need to have excellent schools and both house and neighborhood with some character. I do not want an enormous house, and this has been a problem in my searches. I am fine with 3,500-4,000 sq. ft. with really nice finishes and for sure nothing over 5,000 sf (at the outside--I really don't even want something that big). I feel like most places when I go up in price, the sq. footage just keeps going up!

What part of town would you be working in? That can make all the difference in the world. If you are in Central Dallas, I would suggest Carrollton, Plano, Grapevine, or far North Dallas.

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by LAnative10

What part of town would you be working in? That can make all the difference in the world. If you are in Central Dallas, I would suggest Carrollton, Plano, Grapevine, or far North Dallas.

Richardson, and will also be using the airport a lot.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

The way I see it HP made a concerted effort to keep out all minorities during the 60's and early 70's. Many of the residents were not even residents when this took place. Having said that there is no denying that they have made zero effort to attract minorities. There have only been 2 black students in the history of the school district. It would be unfair of me to say that most of the residents of HP are racist. I don't think it would be unfair to say that most of the residents would prefer to keep HP the exact way it has always been. The history of HP speaks for itself IMHO.

Not true! There have been way more than 2 black students in HPISD. There were at least 3 in the classes surrounding mine in the late 90s and at least a few more when my younger sibling was there in the early 2000s.

I know you have a major beef with HP as this is not the first city-data thread I've seen you quote completely incorrect facts regarding HP's history with minorities. You're welcome to have an opinion, but please use correct facts! (I would say the same whether we were discussig sports, politics, religion, pop culture, etc).

[stan4]

It definitely was in the late 80s...dunno now.