Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This is one of the most ignorant posts in this thread. You obviously don't have the slightest clue as to why Atlanta is known as a Black mecca, but it's very telling that you feel threatened and offended by just the term. Atlanta will continue to be known as a Black mecca for years, maybe even decades, to come. You need to educate yourself and deal with it and quit with the unwarranted hostility.
It seems to me that some of the black posters are the ones being threatened when they start to speak of the future in absolutes. Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation.
Could it be that the thought of sharing Atlanta with whites and other minority groups just doesn't sit well? In terms of minority populations, cities like NYC and LA, while known for blacks, are also known for their Asian and Hispanic populations. Atlanta, on the other hand, is known exclusively for blacks. The nation hasn't picked up on the reality that Asians have been flocking here en masse, and that their growth outstrips black growth. The thought (and reality) that Atlanta becomes treated like NYC or LA in terms of its all-inclusive minority population seems to really make some people's skin crawl.
It seems to me that some of the black posters are the ones being threatened when they start to speak of the future in absolutes. Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation.
Could it be that the thought of sharing Atlanta with whites and other minority groups just doesn't sit well? In terms of minority populations, cities like NYC and LA, while known for blacks, are also known for their Asian and Hispanic populations. Atlanta, on the other hand, is known exclusively for blacks. The nation hasn't picked up on the reality that Asians have been flocking here en masse, and that their growth outstrips black growth. The thought (and reality) that Atlanta becomes treated like NYC or LA in terms of its all-inclusive minority population seems to really make some people's skin crawl.
Haven't blacks always had to share Atlanta with other groups especially white americans?
It seems to me that some of the black posters are the ones being threatened when they start to speak of the future in absolutes. Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation.
Could it be that the thought of sharing Atlanta with whites and other minority groups just doesn't sit well? In terms of minority populations, cities like NYC and LA, while known for blacks, are also known for their Asian and Hispanic populations. Atlanta, on the other hand, is known exclusively for blacks. The nation hasn't picked up on the reality that Asians have been flocking here en masse, and that their growth outstrips black growth. The thought (and reality) that Atlanta becomes treated like NYC or LA in terms of its all-inclusive minority population seems to really make some people's skin crawl.
It seems to me that some of the black posters are the ones being threatened when they start to speak of the future in absolutes. Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation.
Could it be that the thought of sharing Atlanta with whites and other minority groups just doesn't sit well? In terms of minority populations, cities like NYC and LA, while known for blacks, are also known for their Asian and Hispanic populations. Atlanta, on the other hand, is known exclusively for blacks. The nation hasn't picked up on the reality that Asians have been flocking here en masse, and that their growth outstrips black growth. The thought (and reality) that Atlanta becomes treated like NYC or LA in terms of its all-inclusive minority population seems to really make some people's skin crawl.
Atlanta being a Black mecca has NEVER meant that the city was never shared "with Whites and other minority groups," and that is the biggest misconception concerning the term--that it means that no other races or ethnicities are welcome in metro Atlanta which is FAR from the truth. It hasn't been just Blacks that has been fueling Atlanta's rapid growth over the decades. The fact of the matter is that Atlanta's status as a Black mecca is part of an overall progressive narrative that made the city welcoming, not only to all sorts of people, but businesses as well and that's a big reason why Atlanta is what it is today.
As far as your statement that "Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation," I refer you to this statement that was made in a Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/todays_paper/A%20Section/2011-04-11/A/14/18.0.2110150693_epaper.html - broken link) concerning DC's changing demographics (a city also known as a Black mecca of sorts) and identity which largely applies to Atlanta as well:
When new census data revealed last month that blacks are probably no longer a majority in Washington — a status they had held since shortly after World War II — some residents read that as confirmation that the District’s black identity is slipping away. From politicians to talk-show callers, in diners and schoolyards, many Washingtonians — and especially black residents who have spent all their lives in the city — took the census numbers as proof that the District is turning into one more majority-white city.
But in politics, business, culture and sports, the public face of Washington is still largely African American, and there’s considerable evidence that it may stay that way for a long time to come.
Washington remains “a magnet for black intellectuals, the black middle class and the black creative class,” said Richard Florida, whose theories about how the creative class of academics, artists and professionals vitalize cities have been the core of several best-selling books. Florida, who moved from the District to Toronto in 2007, said his interviews with young people across the country “identified greater Washington as a place they wanted to live — young policy wonks, foreign-born techies, gay professionals and also ambitious, college-educated African Americans”..
Similarly, the city’s cultural offerings seem unlikely to lose their emphasis on black artists and audiences. “No one is getting major foundation funding without being asked about the diversity of their audience and their offerings,” said Anne Corbett, executive director of the Cultural Development Corp., which creates spaces for arts groups and issues grants to D.C. artists. “Whatever the census shows, in the arts world, all we can think about is we need to do a better job of drawing audiences of color.”
Students of urban change argue that a city’s ethnic self-image often survives for generations after the defining group loses its demographic dominance.
“Cities have a certain background, and that culture permeates, even long after that group is no longer the majority,” said former D.C. mayor Anthony A. Williams, who teaches a course called “Leading Cities” at Harvard University. “The Irish influence in Boston is still very powerful, even though Irish people are no longer the bulk of the population.
“Just as [Massachusetts Gov.] Deval Patrick had to be steeped in Irish institutions to succeed in Boston,” Williams said, “the black institutions in the District will continue to dominate the city’s politics — the whole grapevine of churches, social groups, fraternities.”
That abiding identification with the long-dominant group means the latest census numbers do not portend a major shift in the city’s identity, said Blair Ruble, director of the Comparative Urban Studies Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center and author of a new book, “Washington’s U Street: A Biography.”
Even with the city's growing White population and the metro's growing Asian/Hispanic population, Atlanta will still be a city with a high concentration of Black cultural and educational institutions and Black political and business leadership. Changing demographics won't change that fact, and that's really the essence of Atlanta's status as a Black mecca.
NewsFlash. When you are the MAJORITY you don't need a "mecca" you own/run most of everything. Why do people feel threatned if they don't have or lose 1-5% of something? My goodness African-Americans are not even the 2nd largest group by race, Hispanics are now. If Atlanta was 100% black at 8 million people (metro area) that is not even 3% of the population in the United States!
When you were slaves and were not considered **** until recently, well what happened to Atlanta is quite amazing in regards to black people beating odds and doing well for themselves here. Its nothing to be threatened about. If anything it shows Atlanta is a city of diversity and is willing to give anyone a chance no matter their color. It also shows the ability of African-Americans on a grand scale and puts positive business leaders in a good light.
Why would anyone be threatened by this? Hell Kasim beat Norwood by what 100 votes or so? The way things are going, all the white neighborhoods will break away from Atlanta anyway.
Precisely. Why some people seem to be so ignorant and not take history into context is just beyond me. I don't know why people think being "post-racial" means you're supposed to leave your friggin' brains at the door.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis
FYI The term black mecca was given to Atlanta not to show cultural or racial supremacy, but it identifies opportunity for education employment and business that hasn't always existed everywhere.
As a result the city has grown tremendously. Not only blacks but many whites should be proud of that fact that the city is viewed as an equal opportunity mecca for all.
If the black mecca topic offends you then you need to be offended. There must be adeep insecurity that you have by presenting that idea to the world.
It seems to me that some of the black posters are the ones being threatened when they start to speak of the future in absolutes. Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation.
I honestly don't see anything unusual about the city of Atlanta having a white mayor. The city's black population has stayed about even or fallen slightly over the past 40 years, whereas the white population has been growing somewhat.
Nearly all the growth in metro Atlanta's black population since has taken place in the suburbs. So if demographics means votes (and that's not always a direct correlation), then that's where you'd expect to see black political gains. And in fact that has been the case. DeKalb and Fulton counties are excellent examples.
It seems to me that metro Atlanta has equally been a mecca for white, blacks, Asians, Hispanics and just about everybody else.
Atlanta being a Black mecca has NEVER meant that the city was never shared "with Whites and other minority groups," and that is the biggest misconception concerning the term--that it means that no other races or ethnicities are welcome in metro Atlanta which is FAR from the truth. It hasn't been just Blacks that has been fueling Atlanta's rapid growth over the decades. The fact of the matter is that Atlanta's status as a Black mecca is part of an overall progressive narrative that made the city welcoming, not only to all sorts of people, but businesses as well and that's a big reason why Atlanta is what it is today.
As far as your statement that "Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation," I refer you to this statement that was made in a Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/todays_paper/A%20Section/2011-04-11/A/14/18.0.2110150693_epaper.html - broken link) concerning DC's changing demographics (a city also known as a Black mecca of sorts) and identity which largely applies to Atlanta as well:
When new census data revealed last month that blacks are probably no longer a majority in Washington — a status they had held since shortly after World War II — some residents read that as confirmation that the District’s black identity is slipping away. From politicians to talk-show callers, in diners and schoolyards, many Washingtonians — and especially black residents who have spent all their lives in the city — took the census numbers as proof that the District is turning into one more majority-white city.
But in politics, business, culture and sports, the public face of Washington is still largely African American, and there’s considerable evidence that it may stay that way for a long time to come.
Washington remains “a magnet for black intellectuals, the black middle class and the black creative class,” said Richard Florida, whose theories about how the creative class of academics, artists and professionals vitalize cities have been the core of several best-selling books. Florida, who moved from the District to Toronto in 2007, said his interviews with young people across the country “identified greater Washington as a place they wanted to live — young policy wonks, foreign-born techies, gay professionals and also ambitious, college-educated African Americans”..
Similarly, the city’s cultural offerings seem unlikely to lose their emphasis on black artists and audiences. “No one is getting major foundation funding without being asked about the diversity of their audience and their offerings,” said Anne Corbett, executive director of the Cultural Development Corp., which creates spaces for arts groups and issues grants to D.C. artists. “Whatever the census shows, in the arts world, all we can think about is we need to do a better job of drawing audiences of color.”
Students of urban change argue that a city’s ethnic self-image often survives for generations after the defining group loses its demographic dominance.
“Cities have a certain background, and that culture permeates, even long after that group is no longer the majority,” said former D.C. mayor Anthony A. Williams, who teaches a course called “Leading Cities” at Harvard University. “The Irish influence in Boston is still very powerful, even though Irish people are no longer the bulk of the population.
“Just as [Massachusetts Gov.] Deval Patrick had to be steeped in Irish institutions to succeed in Boston,” Williams said, “the black institutions in the District will continue to dominate the city’s politics — the whole grapevine of churches, social groups, fraternities.”
That abiding identification with the long-dominant group means the latest census numbers do not portend a major shift in the city’s identity, said Blair Ruble, director of the Comparative Urban Studies Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center and author of a new book, “Washington’s U Street: A Biography.”
Even with the city's growing White population and the metro's growing Asian/Hispanic population, Atlanta will still be a city with a high concentration of Black cultural and educational institutions and Black political and business leadership. Changing demographics won't change that fact, and that's really the essence of Atlanta's status as a Black mecca.
I honestly don't see anything unusual about the city of Atlanta having a white mayor. The city's black population has stayed about even or fallen slightly over the past 40 years, whereas the white population has been growing somewhat.
From 2000 to 2010, Atlanta gained 22,763 white residents, while it lost 28,795 black residents.
Quote:
Nearly all the growth in metro Atlanta's black population since has taken place in the suburbs. So if demographics means votes (and that's not always a direct correlation), then that's where you'd expect to see black political gains. And in fact that has been the case. DeKalb and Fulton counties are excellent examples.
I completely agree.
Quote:
It seems to me that metro Atlanta has equally been a mecca for white, blacks, Asians, Hispanics and just about everybody else.
Yep, which is why the term "Black Mecca" is exclusive and outdated. It comes from an era when blacks were the only minority group moving here in large numbers. The more accurate/inclusive term would be: "Black/Asian/Hispanic Mecca."
Atlanta being a Black mecca has NEVER meant that the city was never shared "with Whites and other minority groups," and that is the biggest misconception concerning the term--that it means that no other races or ethnicities are welcome in metro Atlanta which is FAR from the truth. It hasn't been just Blacks that has been fueling Atlanta's rapid growth over the decades. The fact of the matter is that Atlanta's status as a Black mecca is part of an overall progressive narrative that made the city welcoming, not only to all sorts of people, but businesses as well and that's a big reason why Atlanta is what it is today.
As far as your statement that "Being known as a "black mecca" just doesn't mix with having a white mayor, the fastest-growing white population (city-wide) in the nation, and the fastest-growing Korean and Indian populations (metro-wide) in the nation," I refer you to this statement that was made in a Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/todays_paper/A%20Section/2011-04-11/A/14/18.0.2110150693_epaper.html - broken link) concerning DC's changing demographics (a city also known as a Black mecca of sorts) and identity which largely applies to Atlanta as well:
When new census data revealed last month that blacks are probably no longer a majority in Washington — a status they had held since shortly after World War II — some residents read that as confirmation that the District’s black identity is slipping away. From politicians to talk-show callers, in diners and schoolyards, many Washingtonians — and especially black residents who have spent all their lives in the city — took the census numbers as proof that the District is turning into one more majority-white city.
But in politics, business, culture and sports, the public face of Washington is still largely African American, and there’s considerable evidence that it may stay that way for a long time to come.
Washington remains “a magnet for black intellectuals, the black middle class and the black creative class,” said Richard Florida, whose theories about how the creative class of academics, artists and professionals vitalize cities have been the core of several best-selling books. Florida, who moved from the District to Toronto in 2007, said his interviews with young people across the country “identified greater Washington as a place they wanted to live — young policy wonks, foreign-born techies, gay professionals and also ambitious, college-educated African Americans”..
Similarly, the city’s cultural offerings seem unlikely to lose their emphasis on black artists and audiences. “No one is getting major foundation funding without being asked about the diversity of their audience and their offerings,” said Anne Corbett, executive director of the Cultural Development Corp., which creates spaces for arts groups and issues grants to D.C. artists. “Whatever the census shows, in the arts world, all we can think about is we need to do a better job of drawing audiences of color.”
Students of urban change argue that a city’s ethnic self-image often survives for generations after the defining group loses its demographic dominance.
“Cities have a certain background, and that culture permeates, even long after that group is no longer the majority,” said former D.C. mayor Anthony A. Williams, who teaches a course called “Leading Cities” at Harvard University. “The Irish influence in Boston is still very powerful, even though Irish people are no longer the bulk of the population.
“Just as [Massachusetts Gov.] Deval Patrick had to be steeped in Irish institutions to succeed in Boston,” Williams said, “the black institutions in the District will continue to dominate the city’s politics — the whole grapevine of churches, social groups, fraternities.”
That abiding identification with the long-dominant group means the latest census numbers do not portend a major shift in the city’s identity, said Blair Ruble, director of the Comparative Urban Studies Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center and author of a new book, “Washington’s U Street: A Biography.”
Even with the city's growing White population and the metro's growing Asian/Hispanic population, Atlanta will still be a city with a high concentration of Black cultural and educational institutions and Black political and business leadership. Changing demographics won't change that fact, and that's really the essence of Atlanta's status as a Black mecca.
That article is simply a theory. What of the fact that Atlanta has only been majority black since 1970? Surely this "Black Mecca" thing would have never come to pass if this article's theory held true.
Yep, which is why the term "Black Mecca" is exclusive and outdated. It comes from an era when blacks were the only minority group moving here in large numbers. The more accurate/inclusive term would be: "Black/Asian/Hispanic Mecca."
Well, not to mention that Atlanta has also been a huge white Mecca. Obviously far more whites have moved here than any other ethnicity.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If anything it shows Atlanta is a city of diversity and is willing to give anyone a chance no matter their color. It also shows the ability of African-Americans on a grand scale and puts positive business leaders in a good light. 
