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Actually, in the Institute/Dunbar area, there is a small area(census block group) that is predominately Black(62.3%) and has a median household income above the state figure. At the census tract level, the median household income is at the state figure and it is 64.9% Black. It is near WV State University and I believe that some work at the Union Carbide plant in that area. While it is a county school district, the kids in that area go to South Charleston High, which is in the 28-30% Black range in terms of student enrollment. South Charleston High School
On the other side of Charleston is Malden and Rand. The census block group that covers Malden and the northern end of Rand is/was about 23-24% Black and the other census block group that covers the rest of Rand(or most of the rest of it) is/was about 30-31% Black. Booker T. Washington grew up in Malden and Randy Moss is from Rand. Kids in this area go to what is now Riverside High in Belle(Moss went to the now consolidated DuPont High), which is about 7-8% Black. Riverside High School | Home of the Warriors
Charleston's West Side has the highest concentration within the city and is highly/predominately Black in some parts of that side of town. Kids can go to either George Washington High(about 9-10% Black) or the state's Blackest HS in Capital High, which is about 33-35% Black and I believe has good programs. Home
St. Albans is another community in Kanawha County that has a visible Black population(only about 5-6%, HS is about 7-8%). Nearby Jefferson is about 10%.
So, the Charleston West Side into Dunbar/Institute(maybe parts of South Charleston) is the best bet in terms of a serious Black concentration in that area and the 2 high schools that the kids tend to go to are actually solid, if I'm not mistaken. This is in response to this post: //www.city-data.com/forum/31018037-post62.html
Also, T.D. Jakes also started his church in the Charleston area and is a West Virginia native.
Here are some HS sports videos of some schools in WV, to give some idea of demographics: https://youtu.be/lK3L7TlTT3A
Bro, trust me on this one. The areas of West Virginia where there are "sizable" black populations are hardly noticeable and in fact very, very small. When is the last time you visited West Virginia? That is not a state high on black culture. Truly, you could spend a day in the Charleston area and count the blacks you see on one hand, if you aren't in one of those tiny enclaves you keep mentioning...
I do NOT think of WV as a state, or Charleston area as a city, with "significant" black population...
Bro, trust me on this one. The areas of West Virginia where there are "sizable" black populations are hardly noticeable and in fact very, very small. When is the last time you visited West Virginia? That is not a state high on black culture. Truly, you could spend a day in the Charleston area and count the blacks you see on one hand, if you aren't in one of those tiny enclaves you keep mentioning...
I do NOT think of WV as a state, or Charleston area as a city, with "significant" black population...
This was in response to a particular post. WV actually used to have a higher Black percentage and parts of it have always had a pretty visible Black population. Some places were mentioned earlier in the thread.
Charleston isn't a big metro to begin with. So, suburbs and the highly/predominately Black areas in the metro aren't going to be big. It does have an HBCU and the area from Charleston's West Side into Dunbar and Institute, where WV State is located, is where the Black population will be concentrated, including predominately Black areas.
Also, given the point of the thread, a lot of the places mentioned aren't going to come to mind in terms of their Black population. That is the point of the thread. It is just like the Xenia OH example where the overall Black percentage is around the national percentage of 13-14% Black, but its East End is a predominately Black section that runs into adjacent Wilberforce, which is home to 2 HBCU's. So, even those places can have highly/predominately Black areas that many people aren't aware of.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 06-10-2016 at 10:05 PM..
Yeah, man. NY had slavery until 1827 and once had more slaves than GA at one point. So, some areas of NY have always had Black communities and there is some information where some of the first settlers of many Upstate NY areas were Black. Here is an interesting book from a descendant of NY slaves: Home
Also, if you want to take a trip, the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn may be worth a look and will become a National Park soon. Auburn is about 30 minutes west of Syracuse and was founded/settled by a Revolutionary War officer and his two slaves. Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. | Home
Cool. I'm planning on checking out the museum in Washington when it opens. Good to hear about that museum.
^^^dont forget Surry County, VA. As country as ever but hella blacks...
One of the biggest demography differences between the Northeast and the Southeast is the amount of blacks, or lack thereof. People up north tend to have a different definition of what constitutes "substantial" or "significant" black populations. @ck and I have had a similar convo like this before. It is rae to find northern towns upwards of 20% black. The ones that do exist, for the most part, are pretty close to large cities, thus aren't 'stand-alone', so to speak...
An example is Syracuse is around 30% black, there is a bunch of blacks in Syracuse. It is immediately noticeable when you enter Syracuse from anywhere outside of the immediate bordering suburbs. Like he said Auburn is 30 minutes away--but you could pass through Auburn and not see a black person. You'd have to go to Walmart or somewhere to see some blacks, but even then, it is a noticeable variant from the number you'd find at a Walmart in Syracuse. Therein lies the difference. In many southern locales, you can be 30 mins to several hours away from any large city and be upwards of a third of the population is black. There is no real equivalent in the North or West the further you venture from the major cities...
Also, some people seem to not understand the topic question, which cities ARE NOT recognized for their large black pop? People are throwing around cities like Baltimore, DC, Memphis and St. Louis, but all of these cities are very much known for having alota blacks. Maybe its the type of peopke we're speaking to...
I can agree with Boston, though. It isn't thought of for having a large black pop, but the city is a quarter black. Thats substantial, that means there's a ratio of 1 in 4 people you see in Boston would be black, but it really isn't known. Also, the large cities (Buff, Cuse, Roc, Alb) of Upstate New York. Neither of those cities 'seem' like they have many blacks....
To the person who believes the Caribbean blacks have different neighborhoods/are different from "AA", I refute that statement. Besides the accents and slang, the "differences" are more individual than general. These "AA" and "yardies" enjpy much of the 'other's' foods, music, practices because the simple fact is they are all derived from a common culture; the rhythms and blends are felt and feel similar. The most drastic of differences are for those Caribbeans not raised stateside--but the American born and/or raised arent any less "African-American" than the rest of us. And I'm speaking for the many I have known and grown up with who were born and raised here just like me....
Well, I think the difference is that Northern Blacks are more urban, and Southern Blacks are more rural/suburban? And that is a gross oversimplification/characterization of things but those are my experiences. Like, well I'm not really in the deep South, but in Virginia Blacks in suburban, or even rural, areas is nothing to write home about. West Virginia was the same way. But back in Ohio it was very rare; some do exist and that was an eye opener to me, but Blacks were almost always in a city, even if it were a little town like Xenia, or Wilberforce. But then you also had Blacks in "villages" like Washington Court House. A lot of places you wouldn't expect.
I think the real issue is that Blacks in rural areas in the North and the Midwest are somewhat invisible, or hiding in plain sight, whereas in the South there is a tighter integration. Unless we're self sufficient/agricultural, we're probably going into the nearest city to work, even if that is an hour and a half away, so you just assume that other Blacks one sees are from that city.
Well, I think the difference is that Northern Blacks are more urban, and Southern Blacks are more rural/suburban? And that is a gross oversimplification/characterization of things but those are my experiences. Like, well I'm not really in the deep South, but in Virginia Blacks in suburban, or even rural, areas is nothing to write home about. West Virginia was the same way. But back in Ohio it was very rare; some do exist and that was an eye opener to me, but Blacks were almost always in a city, even if it were a little town like Xenia, or Wilberforce. But then you also had Blacks in "villages" like Washington Court House. A lot of places you wouldn't expect.
I think the real issue is that Blacks in rural areas in the North and the Midwest are somewhat invisible, or hiding in plain sight, whereas in the South there is a tighter integration. Unless we're self sufficient/agricultural, we're probably going into the nearest city to work, even if that is an hour and a half away, so you just assume that other Blacks one sees are from that city.
Good points and to be honest, how Black people got to the what is now the US and where they were generally brought to plays a part as to why Black people are more widespread throughout much of the South. Parts of VA are Blacker than others as well.
Here in NY, you may have some rural/small town Black folks that are seasonal farmers and then they may transition into maybe a manufacturing or service job.
For instance, there is a lady at the church I go to that was born and raised in Canastota, a small town in between Syracuse and Utica. Her father came from Belle Glade FL(a lot of Black Upstate NYers have roots there) and her mother was from GA. They came to work on Onion Farms that Italians owned(they were recruited previously)as seasonal farm workers. She did farm work too, but her father found work at a factory in Syracuse and she also worked at the same place later. This woman, who I believe is in her mid/late 60's, said that there were Black people already living there before her family came with a group of Black folks from Down South. They lived in a certain section of town.
Further south of there, there is an Underground Railroad community by the name of Peterboro, where Black people lived/live on Elizabeth Street and have so for well over a century. They also have an Emancipation Day celebration in the summer. So, you can have long time rural/small town Black population in select places in the North and they may live in a certain part of that town.
Just as a BTW for Boxing fans, Canastota is home to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. So, you may see Boxing greats come through the town during induction time in the summer.
Here in NY, you may have some rural/small town Black folks that are seasonal farmers and then they may transition into maybe a manufacturing or service job.
Financing has always been an issue. Although there have been class action lawsuits, which paid Black farmers billions. It is something that needs to be revisited because agriculture could be a great way to bring about sustainability for some of these food deserts.
If it hasn't been mentioned in this thread before, but Delaware's capital city, Dover is about 42% Black and its metro is about 25% Black. It is also home to Delaware State University, an HBCU.
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