Will Atlanta ever lose its title as the Black Mecca? (Nashville: fit in, credit)

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by S82028

I lived in ATL once, so did my sibling, a surgeon...neither one of us would ever move to ATL again for a variety of reasons

Mind clarifying why not? What happened?

[S82028]

Didn't enjoy the culture and politics. I also lived in Bham (well way outside in Indian Springs) and in Memphis (way outside in Collierville), and I won't live in those places again either for the same reasons (including public education).

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Turnerbro

It feels like a lot of recent migration to Atlanta has been white collar urban dwellers. It also feels like a lot of the suburbs of Atlanta are diversifying with some foreign born residents and mixed race families. I wonder if there will ever come a day when we don't recognize Atlanta as the black mecca that we have for the past 30 or so years.

Originally Posted by S82028

I hope you're right, we don't need anymore "segregation" LOL

S82028’s comment about “segregation” in reply to Turnerbro’s original post raises an important point:

That even though Atlanta is recognized by many as a ‘black mecca’ (or ‘the black Mecca’), much of the Atlanta metropolitan area and region is exceedingly diverse.

That especially includes North metro Atlanta suburban and exurban areas like North Fulton County, Gwinnett County, North DeKalb County, Gainesville proper and parts of Cobb County. Some parts of the South metro Atlanta suburbs (like parts of Clayton County) feature incredible diversity as well.

And even in the part of the Atlanta metropolitan area that may be comparatively less diverse (roughly the southern half of the Atlanta metro below a line at least slightly above I-20), the area is largely not completely “segregated,” with many majority-Black areas featuring at least noticeable non-Black minorities, and with many majority-white areas featuring at least noticeable non-white minorities.

Is southern/South metro Atlanta perfectly “non-segregated”? Of course not.

But there also should not be the impression given that the Atlanta metro area is mostly segregated in its housing patterns because that would not be the most accurate picture, particularly with the incredible amount of diversity present in Northside areas like North DeKalb, North Fulton and Gwinnett.

[brownhornet]

Segregation never ended, let's be serious. Atlanta is one of the most segregated cities in the country. We all know why. Some people move in, others feel the need to move out.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

Segregation never ended, let's be serious. Atlanta is one of the most segregated cities in the country. We all know why. Some people move in, others feel the need to move out.

I've found that most people, regardless of race, could not care less about living in a diverse area.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

Segregation never ended, let's be serious. Atlanta is one of the most segregated cities in the country. We all know why. Some people move in, others feel the need to move out.

That is a really good point that some people may feel the need to move out as others move in.

This has sometimes been the case throughout many parts of the Atlanta metro area (including large parts of South Cobb, South Fulton/South Atlanta proper, Clayton County, South DeKalb, South Gwinnett, Rockdale, part of Newton and Henry counties) where much of the white population has moved out as more blacks moved in.

But there also appears to be many areas across the largely black greater Southern Crescent and vicinity (including the Hiram area of Paulding County, Douglas County, much of North Fayette County, some parts of Henry and Newton counties, the Grayson/Loganville area of Gwinnett County) where the increase in the percentage of the Black population was not necessarily because of the existing white population leaving an area as much as it was because of an overwhelming crush of Black newcomers moving into an area in very large numbers, most often from out-of-state.

Your comments also raise an important point that the area within the corporate limits of a local jurisdiction like the 136 square-mile area City of Atlanta proper remains largely (though not completely) “segregated” with areas north of US 78 and I-20 appearing to trend increasingly mostly white and most of the area below that line remaining mostly black for the time being.

Though, even with the apparent large amount of segregation present in housing patterns (especially when it comes to the largely white Northside and the largely Black Southside), it is still important to note that the Atlanta metropolitan area is far from better completely segregated, with extremely large amounts of diversity being noticeably present in key Northside areas like North DeKalb, North Fulton and Gwinnett and some parts of Cobb.

[architect77]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

Segregation never ended, let's be serious. Atlanta is one of the most segregated cities in the country. We all know why. Some people move in, others feel the need to move out.

The Northeastern cities like New York may be full of people talking as though they're not, but when it's time to go home, you see that neighborhoods are far more segregated than the South.

Regarding Atlanta, with this city's predominant Black population and Black public officials calling the shots, it is they who own this city.

Socioeconomics is the main differentiator today in where people live in metro Atlanta.

Your post insinuates that the white population is wielding some force over where people live today, which is absolutely not true.

Atlanta has many downsides that must be tolerated by those like me who want to stay here. Crime, armed robbery, car-jackings, smash n grabs, hit and runs, sliders at gas stations, identity theft.... are all way above what other cities must endure. Local newscasts in other major cities aren't a never-ending litany of crime like here in the ATL.

And in the past, aka White Flight, might have been caused by some other factors too, like a poorly-run city.

I was just reading and looking at pictures of a trash dump, an open dump was at the NE corner of Peachtree St and 10th street existed until private citizens went out and started cleaning it up. This was the condition of Midtown sometime between the 60s and early 80s.

I hate that the go-to blame always goes to racism, ignoring all the other reasons someone doesn't want to live in a particular part of town.

Just on the subject of trash, Atlanta has some of the most litter-filled roads and entrance/exit ramps in the country. I've contacted the city, GDOT even private companies like Carey Limousine who has offices right off University Ave about walking out and picking up the embarrassing amount of trash at the off ramp.

If everything is dismissed/ attributed to racism, some other underlying issues aren't ever noticed and addressed.

The condition of many neighborhoods, white, black and Hispanic around the metro is appalling, and no one is to blame but the people who live there and don't go out and manually improve it, no money required.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by Gulch

I've found that most people, regardless of race, could not care less about living in a diverse area.

idk, I've found quite a few that do desire diversity and do not want to live in a monocultural area regardless of which race. I personally am for diversity and inclusiveness of all races.

[citidata18]

Just on the subject of trash, Atlanta has some of the most litter-filled roads and entrance/exit ramps in the country...

No it doesn't. Not even close.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by walker1962

I think I will continue to be but there's growing competition in the South, specifically, Houston, Dallas/FW and Charlotte. Charlotte will be more challenged because the economy is not as diverse to draw more newcomers. People forget Texas has the largest black population of any state in the Union though not the largest percentage and has quite of few african-americans living in rural areas who may also move to the big cities.

Charlotte may not be as economically diverse as the other big cities in the south, but it is a major banking/financial hub, which (as we are all aware) is a recession-proof industry that pays very well.

That, combined with its still low COL and geographic location, will conitnue to drive strong growth.