Why isn't Philadelphia mentioned in "Black mecca" discussions? (Washington: neighborhoods, income)

[Escondudo]

Philadelphia County is nearly half black, and it's a major city. Why isn't it in the discussion of being a "Black mecca" like Atlanta or Washington, D.C.?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Escondudo

Philadelphia County is nearly half black, and it's a major city. Why isn't it in the discussion of being a "Black mecca" like Atlanta or Washington, D.C.?

More affluent African-Americans are flocking to those two cities. Prince George's County, outside Washington, is the wealthiest majority-black jurisdiction in the country, and Atlanta has a sizable and growing black upper middle class.

None of these things can be said about Philadelphia.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Escondudo

Philadelphia County is nearly half black, and it's a major city. Why isn't it in the discussion of being a "Black mecca" like Atlanta or Washington, D.C.?

A large number of the blacks in Philadelphia are the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of people who came pre WWII. With older people you can hear remnants of accents from the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont area.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by Escondudo

Philadelphia County is nearly half black, and it's a major city. Why isn't it in the discussion of being a "Black mecca" like Atlanta or Washington, D.C.?

The main reason is that Philly's poverty rate among African Americans is much higher than in cities like Atlanta or Washington DC. It also doesn't help that Blacks live in the majority of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Philly. Kinda hard to be for a city to be viewed as a "Black mecca" when the least desirable areas in the city have a majority Black population.

[nephi215]

Originally Posted by Escondudo

Philadelphia County is nearly half black, and it's a major city. Why isn't it in the discussion of being a "Black mecca" like Atlanta or Washington, D.C.?

Because Philly is not that black athough there is a plurality. The low 40% range isn't "nearly half" of the population. Philly is a lot more diverse. With that said, Philly historically has been a strong city for black culture but overall I'd say that Philly's standing of being seen as a "black mecca" is on par with it's other fellow northern cities such as NYC or Chicago.

[JacksonPanther]

No need to pile on the black folks in Philly. The white people in Philly are poor also.

Check the per capita income of Philly, and you'll see why it's no mecca for anyone. Of course there are good jobs to be had for many, white and black, but in general Philly is just more poor than DC and Atlanta.

Philly is more like Baltimore. Unfortunately.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Escondudo

Philadelphia County is nearly half black, and it's a major city. Why isn't it in the discussion of being a "Black mecca" like Atlanta or Washington, D.C.?

Philadelphia (city) is the same as Philadelphia county.

Last I read the black population is 42%.

Not that this actually answers your question but Phila. has never been a majority black city.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

A large number of the blacks in Philadelphia are the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of people who came pre WWII. With older people you can hear remnants of accents from the Virginia and North Carolina Piedmont area.

While all four of my grandparents came to the Philadelphia area within a couple of years of each other (1915/16), they were originally from Eastern Shore/ Baltimore and New Orleans.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by RUGGLES99

in washington, d.c., a large number of blacks work for the federal govt., giving them a solid middle to upper middle class status, and thus making them part of a black mecca. in Philly, the blacks for the most part are in the lower class, poor ghetto. not a great story, and it's always been that way, and won't change in this new world order.

That wasn't always true. There was wave of more educated blacks who left the city, a bit of a black flight, if you will, in 50s/ 60s. It was masked by the larger white flight. My parents , and just about everyone they knew, left W. Phila. for instance.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by kyb01

That wasn't always true. There was wave of more educated blacks who left the city, a bit of a black flight, if you will, in 50s/ 60s. It was masked by the larger white flight. My parents , and just about everyone they knew, left W. Phila. for instance.

So they moved to Ardmore; where did the others go?