Most or least racist city in the US: Is there really such a thing anyway? (Birmingham, California)
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I grew up on Chicago's southeast side. When I was a child, there was a a beach that had been a private country club - the South Shore Country Club - which the city had purchased and made open to the public. My Mom (who was born in the 30's) told me she remembered the club had a sign when it was private that said "No Dogs Or Jews Allowed." Tom Lehrer - a fairly popular musical satirist in the 50's wrote a song called "International Brotherhood Week" with the lyrics "...all the white folks hate all the black folks and all the black folks hate all the white folks, all of your folks hate all of my folks, and everybody hates the Jews...." Can you imagine this type of talk being public in the '50's?! (Go rent "Gentleman's Agreement" from Blockbuster to see the type of racism we now associate almost exclusively with minorities.) I know a fairly wealthy Asian banker who was "redlined" from buying a house (actually, any house) in a very wealthy lakefront suburb of Chicago. Lastly, I was in the parking lot of my favorite Oberweiss Dairy where a young man was having car trouble; his battery was dead and he had jumper cables on top of the hood of his car. This kid was Middle Eastern, and I watched as he asked white patrons in the lot for help with a "jump," and each one flatly refused as they went to their cars. I helped him - it was no big deal. This is racism in America. It has always been here. Is it just against African Americans? Guess again.
The biggest factor in eliminating overt racism and bigotry that I have seen in my travels, is the exposure of non-minorities to minorities with means or with a strong, positive presence. In areas where residents who are African American, Middle Eastern, Jewish, etc., have wealth, own businesses, are politically prominent, or are otherwise an intrinsic part of the community (for example, participants in a farmers' co-op), there is a far greater atmosphere of "tolerance" and equality, especially when combined with (or with a strong presence of) artists and institutions of higher education. Arthur Gaston, a major source of financial support for the late Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, proposed that "Black Power" (a 60's mantra) should be based on "Green Power" (wealth building). "Green Power" seems to be the the major force for equality in the United States - remember, Mr. T of "A Team" fame was able to buy a house in ultra-exclusive Lake Forest, Illinois, in the '80's. And exclusive neighborhoods had to begin selling homes to Jews in the 50's. But also note that the Dakota in Manhattan, New York, may still refuse co-op membership to whomever it chooses - even (rumor has it) Barbra Streisand, Gene Simmons, and Billy Joel. But the board did approve Leonard Bernstein, Yoko and John, Roberta Flack, and Connie Chung. Dum spiro spero.
I grew up on Chicago's southeast side. When I was a child, there was a a beach that had been a private country club - the South Shore Country Club - which the city had purchased and made open to the public. .
You're from the East Side? I spent a large part of my youth hanging out at Cal Park & snackin' at Mexican Inn & Bob & Jacks ... anyway ...
As a side note, South Shore Country Club is/was gorgeous ... I haven't been there in years. I worked many events there w/ George Jewell catering and wanted to have my wedding there. And actually, I believe Barack Obama & Michelle had their reception there.
I post San Antonio as least racist,
the bad thing is that it has a very small black and asian population compared to most cities.
But it's a city that seems 1/2 hispanic, 1/2 white and you find all kind of people (including black and asian) living in any neighborhood.
I moved to San Antonio about 6 months ago from Missouri and I can't believe how homogenous the city is (You find all type of people everywhere)
I lived in San Antonio for 11 years and enjoyed it but I moved for better job opportunites. The thing that makes San Antonio unique is the demographics you mentioned but that it's also a large military town in the most politically liberal region of Texas. Military people have to work and live side by side with all kinds of people and it tends to promote LESS RACISM. The largest Black American community is one the East side and there are large predominately Latino communities on the West and South sides. The entire North side and the suburbs are pretty diverse.
I'd have to give a vote for Lansing Michigan. It's near a large university, Michigan State, and the neighborhoods tend to be very mixed. it's one of the most comfortable places I've been as far as people living side by side and kids playing together and people of different races basically comfortable with each other. Housing tends to separated by income not race.
My father was jumped by a large group because he was white and one of them even tried to poke out his eye with their thumb, He was able to get away but he still has problems in that eye.
My father was jumped by a large group because he was white and one of them even tried to poke out his eye with their thumb, He was able to get away but he still has problems in that eye.
I was just reading an article that was followed up by 350 comments. Often, when I ask this question to myself however, I wonder if there really is such a thing in the US?
At least towards blacks and hispanics. Other racial groups, like Native Americans or Asians, may not experience racism in certain cities, since there are almost none of those groups in that town, which actually may work out in their favor, at least socially.
I guess my question is, is there really no such thing as a least (or most) racist city in the US?
If there is, I would say, IMO (I've been an all but two states and have seen just about every major metro area, 1 millon plus at least once), the least racist is San Francisco (if you count smaller metros, under 1 million, but more than 100k though) I would say it's Anchorage.
Most racist? Either Milwaukee or Detroit.
BTW, the 350 or more comments out the article I read, the city most mentioned was.....Boston.
Maybe in the 70's, but not now.
it seems you have experienced racism but if you have, your post seems to be oblivious to how that works socially.
where you experience more or less racism has to do with racial demographics of an area as well as whether an area is more liberal or more conservative. it is not so much a singular place that has no racism because it doesn't work that way.
simple common sense. a white person in a majority white area is least likely to experience racism. a black person in a majority black area is also least likely to experience racism. see the picture and how that works?
also, you are totally backwards about experiencing less racism in areas where one is least or not represented. usually the racism is much worse but not always, there are other factors (again, liberal or conservative is one example).
where one is usually a sizable majority, there will be less racism or more tolerance for your demographic.
yes, there are places where every demographic will experience less or more racism, but not completely devoid of racism since there are racist people everywhere. also, just because one experiences less racism, people will still and can have problems with others because racism is just one avenue of prejudice but being in an environment that is more unfriendly or where you experience more racism just compounds the hostility, unfriendliness and even loneliness.
what i find amazing is this 'poor me', we're black or hispanic and everyone is racist towards us attitude or belief. there are actually more places that a black or hispanic person would be a greater demographic and be accepted with wider choices than native americans or asians. every major city or town i've been to in america has many blacks and hispanics but blacks are definitely accepted. blacks and hispanics are a part of american culture and seen and regarded in their psyche as 'americans'. it's just unbelievable that blacks in america think there is no place for them. as a matter of fact, the south is even full of blacks and is comfortable for them.
Last edited by rory00; 11-10-2010 at 07:00 PM..
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