NC Small towns with low crime & racial harmony?? (Elizabeth City: school, living in)

[veganwriter]

1. This may be asking for too much in today's world, but are there any rural areas within an hour's drive of a major city that has both low crime AND some measure of racial harmony??

2. I've lived in two places in the south for short periods, and both time I was told that "I'd have to choose" ... meaning, choose who I want to speak to ... (beyond general work lingo) ... either whites or blacks. Is this ... "dynamic" also true for NC?

[RuralCoastalGuy]

Originally Posted by veganwriter

1. This may be asking for too much in today's world, but are there any rural areas within an hour's drive of a major city that has both low crime AND some measure of racial harmony??

There are many rural areas where the crime is low and racial harmony exists. I live in one myself and everyone appears to get along okay. Maybe it's because there are more farmers than anything and farmers tend to be hard working folks who mind their own business.

2. I've lived in two places in the south for short periods, and both time I was told that "I'd have to choose" ... meaning, choose who I want to speak to ... (beyond general work lingo) ... either whites or blacks. Is this ... "dynamic" also true for NC?

Don't know who these folks are that have been filling your head with such crap. North Carolina is a very progressive State and we don't tell each other what to do and any prejudices that exist also exist in other States, yours included. A lot depends upon how well you can adapt as most North Carolinians will give you the benefit of the doubt.

I think the best thing for you to do would be to come visit NC, from the mountains to the ocean and have a "look see" for yourself.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by veganwriter

I've lived in two places in the south for short periods, and both time I was told that "I'd have to choose" ... meaning, choose who I want to speak to ... (beyond general work lingo) ... either whites or blacks. Is this ... "dynamic" also true for NC?

Is this a joke? I've lived in the south my whole life, and never seen or heard of this "dynamic" you're speaking of.

It is true that self-segregation is common among both sides, but the idea that you have to "choose who you want to speak to" is totally absurd. Someone must have been pulling your leg.

[NENC]

Sadly, there are some communities in this country where you do have to choose sides. I had a friend who grew up in a small town in central Louisiana where it was like that, where white folks were VERY conscious of how friendly they were with blacks. In this town, the whites and the blacks literally lived on opposite sides of the tracks. I recall her telling me how her sister had such a hard time there because she had befriended a black girl in her school beyond the normal "hi, how you doing" kind of friendship. This was back in the 1980s so things may have changed there but I don't know. Some of these small towns don't change much.

As far as NC is concerned, I'm not aware of any places where it is that extreme. Although here in Eastern NC where I am, many of these small towns are not so much on the progressive side and I have heard of white folks being shut out of some circles for being too friendly with blacks. Now, it's never happened to me in all my time living in Eastern NC and I talk to pretty much anyone I please, black or white so take it with a grain of salt. But I have heard of things like this happening in some places. Elizabeth City for example is pretty polarized by race. Folks get along there ok and I don't think you'd have a problem going to lunch with someone of another race or anything like that. But there is a palpable racial tension there to be sure. I can't speak so much for the Piedmont or mountain areas of the state.

Sorry to be the bearer of unpleasant tales but I'm trying to be truthful as I can about some small towns.

[SunnyKayak]

NENC I agree it exists in this state on different levels with different races. I can think of alot of communities that is not diverse from the moutains, foothills, piedmont to eastern NC. It not like they really intend to have a racial divide but they are very close knit communities that opppose to letting outsiders feel welcome. It can be view as a positive or negative.

To OP narrow down the area you wish to reside in this state and click on city-data.com in the upper left corner or North Carolina and view each town demographic makeup to decide what town will suit you best.