Are there intergrated neighborhoods in Mississippi? (Jackson, Hattiesburg: private schools, college, live)

[mygod]

Originally Posted by ministers

I'm from Wisconsin, and my parents are from Mississippi, and I noticed there is not alot of intergrated neighborhoods in Mississippi. Why not? I'm having reservations about even moving down to Mississippi in the future. What about the school systems? Are blacks and whites friends in Mississippi. Wow, I was really shocked.

I live in Mississippi, and I must say that growing up in the Mississippi public school system wasn't the most pleasant event in my life. The Jackson Public school system is the most repulsive of them all.
Sure, there are some awesome schools, like Power APAC, a VERY integrated school where only Acedemically successful 4th through 12th grade kids can choose a performing art (music, art, dance, theatre) and take professional classes from credible instructors free! I am currently attending Power APAC in my senior year, I am a dance major.

Yes, many blacks and whites are friends in Mississippi, but in the public schools, many blacks look down on whites and vice versa. In some schools, mulatto kids such as myself are teased and taunted.
In fact, I remember going to a private school in Jackson to take the ACT (majority white school) and I couldn't help but notice the turned up noses and rude remarks made by white teens.
You're right, most neighbor hoods are either completley black or completely white. I live in a semi- integrated neighborhood myself; it use too be all white until a white family moved out and a black family moved in. After that, tons of whites sold their houses and now, there are almost more blacks than whites.
I'm not saying Mississippi isn't cool, but if I were you, I'd stay in Wisconsin.

[Tama]

Of course, there are individual experiences and this poster has had a glimpse that is very likely accurate. However, it isn't a perspective. For someone who is in Wisconsin and wants to know about Mississippi, this particular experience is not the whole story. My family lives in PA and there are all-white upscale neighborhoods and all-minority neighborhoods and some mixed with the overriding factor being economic status. In my opinion, someone like the original poster is trying to determine if the Mississippi of the 21st century is still like the Mississippi of the cross-burnings and racism of the 60s and prior.
The answer is a resounding no. However, Mississippi isn't a shangri lai either. However, neither is Pennsylvania nor Illinois. To Wisconsin, it wll be the same as most places and in most places there are still people with attitudes and that includes both black and white and ethnic, racial, and economic distributions of housing. It is, however, no longer public policy to discrimminate and many people live quite in harmony.
My community has a black mayor and the majority of the city council is black. The city is thriving and there are many examples of people working together.
But there are also suburban neighborhoods which are mainly white. For some it was a racial move and for others it was an economic move. However, there are miniority families with means and they are welcomed into the schools and neighborhoods.
In other words, it is way different from the public perception of the past.

[spinrider2000]

Tama, a lot of what you said sounds like Mississippi.
Mississippi is very rural. A large town is around 40k. A few larger cities. I do not believe MS is any different than any state that has lower income and primarily rural. My grandfather was from rural Ky and my wifes family from rural Ga. Nothing wrong with either, but I see the same condition. Yes, history hurts and sometimes lingers. Everytime I hear a negative story pointed right at Mississippi it hurts. DO not believe that what you hear is the whole story.

[ministers]

Originally Posted by mygod

I live in Mississippi, and I must say that growing up in the Mississippi public school system wasn't the most pleasant event in my life. The Jackson Public school system is the most repulsive of them all.
Sure, there are some awesome schools, like Power APAC, a VERY integrated school where only Acedemically successful 4th through 12th grade kids can choose a performing art (music, art, dance, theatre) and take professional classes from credible instructors free! I am currently attending Power APAC in my senior year, I am a dance major.

Yes, many blacks and whites are friends in Mississippi, but in the public schools, many blacks look down on whites and vice versa. In some schools, mulatto kids such as myself are teased and taunted.
In fact, I remember going to a private school in Jackson to take the ACT (majority white school) and I couldn't help but notice the turned up noses and rude remarks made by white teens.
You're right, most neighbor hoods are either completley black or completely white. I live in a semi- integrated neighborhood myself; it use too be all white until a white family moved out and a black family moved in. After that, tons of whites sold their houses and now, there are almost more blacks than whites.
I'm not saying Mississippi isn't cool, but if I were you, I'd stay in Wisconsin.

Wow! That is scary. I feel Wisconsin has some bad points as well. I just wish people would not judge each other on the color of their skin. If my neighbor was white and I saw someone trying to break in their house, I would look out for their property just like it was my own. I just believe people are people.

[spinrider2000]

ok, I realize that everywhere you can live has its own prejudice. Any area or schools that have income as a factor are going to segregate. Maybe I do not see the real Mississippi? Generally,,,, people attempt to look for integrity of the person. As to neighborhoods. I live in a subdivision. If anyone moves in and joins with the rest of us to make a positive living community, then I am for it. If there is a bad influence, I am first to complain. Color is no issue. People in general have to decide what they represent.

[ministers]

Originally Posted by spinrider2000

ok, I realize that everywhere you can live has its own prejudice. Any area or schools that have income as a factor are going to segregate. Maybe I do not see the real Mississippi? Generally,,,, people attempt to look for integrity of the person. As to neighborhoods. I live in a subdivision. If anyone moves in and joins with the rest of us to make a positive living community, then I am for it. If there is a bad influence, I am first to complain. Color is no issue. People in general have to decide what they represent.

Good Point!!!

[cjohnsonRE]

Unfortunately, there are people in EVERY area of the world who are prejudice, not just Ms. and not just about the color of someone's skin. I see it all the time at my childrens schools. I am sorry about your experience at the private school, but have you ever thought that those people were not sticking their noses up at you because of the color of your skin? Females of all ages, all social classes in all areas of the US have been known to "stick up their noses" at some point and time. I think it's just part of being a female and that sometimes it's done out of habit. I am a female and I have a daughter and I like to think that we are good and kind to everyone, but I know that at times we can both appear to be otherwise. I grew up in Mississippi where part of my time was spent in Heidelberg, Ms. Have you ever heard of it? That's where the private school was all white and the public school was all black. The cemetaries are divided by a fence, and to outsiders it might appear to be a racist area, but if you lived there you knew that the whenever you were in need, the color of your skin didn't matter nor did the size of your bank acct. What mattered was how you were raised!

[spinrider2000]

thank you! cjohnsonRE,,,,,, sometimes looks are deceiving. How raised......very important.

[djerome]

I'm originally from Southaven, MS. Southaven is a working-class/middle-class suburb of Memphis with a population of about 50,000. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in the State. The city was about 90 percent white 7 years ago, but is becoming increasingly more diverse. A good number of the population is from Memphis. You won't have a problem moving into a neigborhood, as far as open hostility is concerned, there aren't any all white neigborhoods, and there really aren't any all black neigborhoods. I would guess that Southaven High School is about 60/30 as far as white/black, and Desoto Central High School in the Wealthier part of the city is about 70/20 white. Growing up in Southaven was a good experience (I now go to school at Ole Miss). I had a decent number of black friends (as well as Asian, and Hispanic). Anywhere in Desoto County is going to be a good place to live. However, Desoto County is not real Mississippi. Southaven though, is a 15 minute drive to downtown, which is definitely nice. So you should definitely check out Hernando, Olive Branch, and Southaven.

[darhe3425]

Uhmm, When I lived in the north it was not uncommon to see blacks and whites socializing together. As in visiting each others home (unannounced), partying together etc. The only time there was perhaps so divide is as in Mississippi the issue of racism occuring. Whites had a more difficult time acknowledging it's existence. My experience has been a sort of uncomfortableness that occurs when there is an obvious friendship between the opposite races. A close friend of mine and I still either draws stares of interest, or smiles from others. The neighborhood we moved to was predominantly white when we moved here now it is still transitioning. I would really love to know myself where is that elusive forever moving integrated neighborhood. "There goes the neighborhood" must be still whispered in many places. But we are still in America aren't we?