Charles County Race Relations (Waldorf, Indian Head: middle-class, transplants, crime)

[stvincent]

I read an article about horrible race realtions in Charles County between the older white residents and the new exodus of Black residents into the area. Can anyone tell me how Blacks are actually being recieved in Charles County and also tell me where the upper middle class commnitites are in Charles County. I had considered PG County but on a previous thread I posted I recieved overwhelming opposition to that idea. Is Charles County a more sound decision for a better quality of life?

[slipjoint]

I don't pretend to be an expert in the matter but here is my take on the subject. I've lived here all my life, and grew up with many black people who were raised here also. We went to school, played sports, and socialized together at least my age bracket ~ 45-50. There were poor whites and blacks, successful whites and blacks, but largely middle class of both supporting a largely agricultural economy. Schools were good, crime was low, and as all areas surronding the district we became a bedroom community. Starting with the "white flight" which I guess began in earnest with the urban riots after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Whites left the inner suburbs in Prince Georges to fill the rapidly growing subdivisions near Waldorf. In the last decade it appears that a similar "black flight" of affluent blacks has occured also. I believe the article that you read is largely based on the torching of new homes in a north county suburb largely black and affluent by a group of poor working young white adults and teens. Since almost all in the North end of the county are transplants I don't think it has really anything to do with "older white residents". The North end of the county provides an easier commute to the District, but has issues similar to P.G. County. Most of the people both black and white I went to school with have moved away from Waldorf to Bryantown, LaPlata, Dentsville and the like if they stay in Charles County. And quite a few to St. Mary's and Calvert to recapture the sense of community they once had. Good luck in your search.

[JaBradshaw]

The white residents in a formerly quiet exurb of D.C. are not taking the arrival of many middle-class blacks from PG very well. A few years back some white youths I believe burned down 45+ big, brand new houses in Indian Head. Other than that and the occasional racist graffiti (from both blacks and whites), it is otherwise very calm. The congestion has picked up though in the last few years as well.