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As for this thread, I'd definitely say that Oakland is the best city on the west coast to be black. The history and the support & acceptance of the history from the city itself is definitely there. Oakland's black population is very economically diverse. While there's certainly high black-on-black crime in the most impoverished economic bracket of the Oakland black population, that's true of all the other cities mentioned in this thread. What isn't true of the other cities is the tune to which Oakland is integrated... I have yet to see another city where all ethnic groups can be found in abundance in all of the social classes.
EDIT: Also, if one cares about Jack and Jill-esque clubs (I don't) then it's worth noting that Oakland is one of the most active chapters of the Links Cotillion; there is a strong Jack and Jill presence as well.
Best place in California to be Black & dirt poor...
Great Thoughts Everyone. Does anyone have any opinions on North Carolina? I'm currently considering relocating to either the Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham area. Both seem to be diverse, growing areas and welcoming to Afr-Ams.
BTW, I grew up in NYC, lived in Atlanta for 6 years and looking to flee Florida once I complete my degree (not diverse enough, extremely low pay scales and limited job/business prospects). Over it!
Atlanta is not what it used to be. When I go back to visit now, I'm glad I don't live there anymore. The majority of the Af-Ams I know that have moved there in the last 5 years are looking to move away. Others who have been there longer seem more inclined to stick it out. As much as I love NYC, its only for visits and periodic extended stays now. I don't want to live there permanently anymore.
Great Thoughts Everyone. Does anyone have any opinions on North Carolina? I'm currently considering relocating to either the Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham area. Both seem to be diverse, growing areas and welcoming to Afr-Ams.
BTW, I grew up in NYC, lived in Atlanta for 6 years and looking to flee Florida once I complete my degree (not diverse enough, extremely low pay scales and limited job/business prospects). Over it!
Atlanta is not what it used to be. When I go back to visit now, I'm glad I don't live there anymore. The majority of the Af-Ams I know that have moved there in the last 5 years are looking to move away. Others who have been there longer seem more inclined to stick it out. As much as I love NYC, its only for visits and periodic extended stays now. I don't want to live there permanently anymore.
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Originally Posted by chariega As someone who lives in the V of the DC Metro area, please take the V off that list. Northern VA is definitely not bustling with American black people (no hate--i love my African ppl). I get pretty sad about it too when I'm looking for good southern/soul food and have to either go to MD (ugh!) or drive all the way to Woodbridge and find a decent barbecue joint--which can be about as southern as it gets sometimes, sadly
Thats typically why when mentioning the DMV its moreso DC and PG county...outside of that the AA pop is more dispersed. N. Virginia is a whole different world with its own set of rules from DC and MD
In the DC area you don't see black people all over like you do in the Atlanta area. The only real concentrations of black people in the DC area are in DC east of Rock Creek Park and the majority of Prince George's County. The rest of the metro area is probably only around 10-12% black.
In the DC area you don't see black people all over like you do in the Atlanta area. The only real concentrations of black people in the DC area are in DC east of Rock Creek Park and the majority of Prince George's County. The rest of the metro area is probably only around 10-12% black.
Around Silver Spring, there are quite a few as well. On the VA side, it seems like Alexandria and Arlington are pretty high and the rest have decent amounts.
Great Thoughts Everyone. Does anyone have any opinions on North Carolina? I'm currently considering relocating to either the Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham area. Both seem to be diverse, growing areas and welcoming to Afr-Ams.
BTW, I grew up in NYC, lived in Atlanta for 6 years and looking to flee Florida once I complete my degree (not diverse enough, extremely low pay scales and limited job/business prospects). Over it!
Atlanta is not what it used to be. When I go back to visit now, I'm glad I don't live there anymore. The majority of the Af-Ams I know that have moved there in the last 5 years are looking to move away. Others who have been there longer seem more inclined to stick it out. As much as I love NYC, its only for visits and periodic extended stays now. I don't want to live there permanently anymore.
Raleigh seems to be the new spot now. Charlotte is still up there, but Raleigh is taking it to another level. A lot of NYers, including those from my part of the state are still moving to both areas though. Same with Greensboro and Winston-Salem to a smaller degree.
Don't sleep on Nashville or the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area of VA though. Both have had steady streams of Black folks moving to both and have the cultural aspects that many Black folks tend to look for. Houston and Dallas as well.
Relatively few blacks live in Squirrel Hill or Shadyside, etc., and Wilkinsburg is a gang-overrun cesspool with terrible schools. There are no middle-class areas in Wilkinsburg to speak of. There are only former middle-class areas. Penn Hills (and Monroeville) used to be fairly nice places to live, but they have declined significantly in recent years as well.
I'm constantly hearing people say that "Atlanta isn't what it used to be", but they never really specify what they mean by that.
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