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Eliminate all of the Southern cities and you've got a solid list.
I went back through the mists of time to post 1 and found out that the OP had asked about cities that had "similar proportions of Blacks" to NYC/Detroit/Chicago/LA/Miami but "don't have Black representation."
I find that phrasing more confusing than the conversation that followed, for many of these cities do have "black representation" both culturally and politically; my hometown of Kansas City, which is one of the historic epicenters of the evolution of jazz in America, one of the cities in the barbecue Pantheon because of the Blacks who opened barbecue stands there about a century ago, elected its third Black mayor (who directly succeeded the second) two years ago, and whose oldest part is represented in Congress by that first Black mayor, is a good example.
Guess it's not worth parsing, though, because the discussion seems to have gone in the direction of "has a notable Black presence but is not acknowledged as having one by those outside it." In that case, I'd say Boston is the poster child for this phenomenon.
I went back through the mists of time to post 1 and found out that the OP had asked about cities that had "similar proportions of Blacks" to NYC/Detroit/Chicago/LA/Miami but "don't have Black representation."
I find that phrasing more confusing than the conversation that followed, for many of these cities do have "black representation" both culturally and politically; my hometown of Kansas City, which is one of the historic epicenters of the evolution of jazz in America, one of the cities in the barbecue Pantheon because of the Blacks who opened barbecue stands there about a century ago, elected its third Black mayor (who directly succeeded the second) two years ago, and whose oldest part is represented in Congress by that first Black mayor, is a good example.
Guess it's not worth parsing, though, because the discussion seems to have gone in the direction of "has a notable Black presence but is not acknowledged as having one by those outside it." In that case, I'd say Boston is the poster child for this phenomenon.
I think there's something notable in terms of Black history or culture for practically every 2M+ metro in America.
Thanks for the addition.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, btw, is located in Kansas City, on 18th Street between Highland Avenue and Vine Street — the heart of the city's old Black "downtown."
It shares a building with the American Jazz Museum, which includes a popular jazz club called the Blue Room.
Guess it's not worth parsing, though, because the discussion seems to have gone in the direction of "has a notable Black presence but is not acknowledged as having one by those outside it." In that case, I'd say Boston is the poster child for this phenomenon.
Certainly if there’s a “poster child” for that-it’s Boston
Certainly if there’s a “poster child” for that-it’s Boston
I think a big reason why is that Boston’s rougher/working-class White neighborhoods are very represented in the media. And that while those areas have gentrified, outside of the housing projects in places like Charlestown or South Boston, those two neighborhoods remain very white, probably some of the whitest urban neighborhoods in the entire country.
I also wonder if it has to do with Boston’s black population primarily being from the 2nd wave of the great migration. So maybe in the minds of a lot of older people it’s still a really white city?? Then again, I don’t know how much that matters. I think it primarily has to do with media representation.
I think a big reason why is that Boston’s rougher/working-class White neighborhoods are very represented in the media. And that while those areas have gentrified, outside of the housing projects in places like Charlestown or South Boston, those two neighborhoods remain very white, probably some of the whitest urban neighborhoods in the entire country.
I also wonder if it has to do with Boston’s black population primarily being from the 2nd wave of the great migration. Even back in 1940, Boston’s black neighborhoods were primarily around where Shawmut Ave and Melnea Cass boulevard meet and only went as far south as Dudley Square. so maybe in the minds of a lot of older people it’s still a really white city?? Then again, I don’t know how much that matters. I think it primarily has to do with media representation.
Characterizations of its pro sports teams also play a part in this, even if it isn’t completely accurate in terms of what is portrayed.
Characterizations of its pro sports teams also play a part in this, even if it isn’t completely accurate in terms of what is portrayed.
Which is weird because all the most visible Red Sox and Celtics since the 1990s are primarily non White. And most of the stars of the patriots first three championships were black defensive players…
But it’s kind of like when there is a successful white athlete in Boston the media really really latches to it, and somehow that person becomes “Boston” even if they never claimed to be and never wanted to be that….and are from Indiana or Northern California.
I think a big reason why is that Boston’s rougher/working-class White neighborhoods are very represented in the media. And that while those areas have gentrified, outside of the housing projects in places like Charlestown or South Boston, those two neighborhoods remain very white, probably some of the whitest urban neighborhoods in the entire country.
I also wonder if it has to do with Boston’s black population primarily being from the 2nd wave of the great migration. So maybe in the minds of a lot of older people it’s still a really white city?? Then again, I don’t know how much that matters. I think it primarily has to do with media representation.
I guess I mean Boston been at least 20% black for 40+ years now..and there’s really boatloads of Black history there dating back 350+ years. No real valid reasons IMO.
There are neighborhoods in Baltimore that are whiter: like Federal Hill Canton, Locust Point…
A lot of it has to due with white people from anywhere within 140 miles of Boston that they’re from “Boston” whenever they’re asked. Minorities form the area don’t do that- we typically say what city were actually from.
I guess I mean Boston been at least 20% black for 40+ years now..and there’s really boatloads of Black history there dating back 350+ years. No real valid reasons IMO.
There are neighborhoods in Baltimore that are whiter: like Federal Hill Canton, Locust Point…
A lot of it has to due with white people from anywhere within 140 miles of Boston that they’re from “Boston” whenever they’re asked. Minorities form the area don’t do that- we typically say what city were actually from.
One of the segregated Black grade schools in Kansas City bore the name of a Black Bostonian of the 18th century: Crispus Attucks, the first person killed in the "Boston Massacre" of 1775.
Then there's this slightly more recent physical remnant of Black Boston history:
the African Meeting House on Beacon Hill, the oldest standing Black church in the country, built in 1806. The building now serves as the city's African-American history museum.
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