African American relocating to Madison

[Indi9]

Thanks, Drover. Sounds like a plan. Now I am remembering that the Lutheran Campus Ministry definitely fit my description back when I was a student at UW. It would be worth checking out again, esp. if I wind up teaching at UW. I'm sure there are others.

[Milwaukee City]

again, Madison is 6% black and what...84% white so take that what it is for.......i Guess diversity like they claim.

[tchemgrrl]

Indi, you might want to check out James Reeb UU church. I went there some when I was in Madison, and it was approximately reflective of Madison's actual racial makeup, i.e., pretty white, but my southern Italian self was not remotely the darkest person there (and yeah, in WI there were a few occasions where I *was*, heh.) They mentioned several times about how much more diverse the congregation was than the average UU church, in terms of race, economics, age, etc. Very, very progressive, and the pastor is a really great person. It happened that there were not a lot of people in the same life-place as me to connect with (as a mid-20's grad student), but I kind of hung back in terms of participation so I can't really fault them that.

[Indi9]

Thanks, tchemgrrl. I had a look or two at their website. Right on. Plus they're on the east side. Home sweet home.

[brgingerich]

Originally Posted by pr0fess0rx

I have been offered a nice engineering job but I have my doubts about moving to Madison Wisconsin from New York. I need to ask the members of this forum, would I be discriminated against if I move there. As an African American, will I have trouble with crosses being burnt in my lawn and so on? (Maybe I watch too much tv). The housing prices out there look pretty cheap but I do not believe it is worth it if some people around there will give me a hard time. Can someone help me with this?

You, sir, have been watching far too much TV. I'm from the barely-reconstructed South, and nothing remotely resembling "crosses being burnt" in anyone's lawn has ever happened in my lifetime in my hometown. Frankly, I don't even know what television station you would be watching to get the impression that such things happen anywhere in America these days, except in very isolated areas perhaps (and even that is unlikely)!

On a related note, this thread is amusing. Self-segregation: improving race relations in America since 1964!

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by brgingerich

On a related note, this thread is amusing. Self-segregation: improving race relations in America since 1964!

You may have a point, but I can see why people would choose to associate with others of their race to the exclusion of others at certain times and places. It must get tiring to have to always be in the minority. And you can't hide skin color.

Even if people were nice as pie to me I would get tired of always being the odd man out. I'm Irish so I look pretty much like any other northern European to most people. You have to really be hyper aware of ethnic differences to tell the difference between most white ethnic groups. I got tired, however, of being (it seemed) the only liberal in Eau Claire for the 2.5 years I lived there and it wasn't even a difference others could see if I kept my mouth shut, which I did most of the time. It just wears on you after awhile and you yearn(sp?) to be around others who you don't have to be so "careful" around.