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.
It's no denying how central the church is to the black community in the South. As a southerner I won't deny that one bit. But sometimes I feel like Black people from other regions somewhat overstate how Church centered Black southerners are especially Millennials, Gen X and Gen Z. Like I'll see a video of someone who moved to a major city in the south and state " If you want to make new friends you have to attend one of the mega churches down here."
I grew up in the south majority of my life and being that I'm non-religious don't believe in Jesus Christ or the concept of GOD from a religious perspective I can honestly say that not attending Church in most major and even mid size cities won't get you shun from most Black social circles. The last time I was an active member of church was back in high school and that's because I had no choice. If Moms tell you, you going to church than you GOTTA GO. But once I graduated high school I wasn't attending any churches. Mind you I'm in my late 30's now.
Haven't had any problems socializing whatsoever. And in all the times I've hung with my friends or went out to socialize I can count on one hand how many times religions been brought up. And it's not like I'm finding like minded people to hang out with when it comes to that.
Being Anti-Religious/Religion also didn't really impact my dating life before I got married either. Religion would come up every now and then but only 2 women felt some kind of way about it. Ironically, the one who had the biggest problem with my beliefs was my ex from years back who was from Hartford, CT. She was a preachers daughter and me and her largely didn't work out because of my beliefs. Now granted her parents were originally from Oklahoma but she was born and raised her entire life in Hartford. Other than that, didn't really have any issues. My ex after her grew up in East Texas with me and she felt away about it but looked past my beliefs. My Wife now accepts my beliefs and she's more spiritual than religious.
People like me are more common than people think. Especially among Black Men in the south.
I don't think it's a problem socializing. I don't think that at all. Just noting it's a major difference in that it doesn't play into the basic like the fabric of black life where I'm from. Unless you're the daughter of a preacher from Oklahoma.
Never felt that church was a reason I could or couldn't socialize with someone from the South- not at all. But it is a big difference in that its more of an option and more expected in the South than the North, that much is true. And I'm not going to knock anyone for having faith. In any city I always try to locate a church that feels decent- just in case, I might need it one day.
It's just like when people react some certain way or talk to you about God and Jesus or the bible like you're going to be on the same page im like- naw i don't even know what you're talking about. It's just far more in the background for someone coming from some of these regions like Mountains, PNW or the deep NE so it likes people start talking church and talking about church folk and it's like "yea i guess ive seen that?" Like I went to a Black Baptist church like 2 times a year growing up depending on the year...but not enough for me to faithfully talk about church folk, the choir, the deacons and how it be. I knew kids who went to church sometimew when they were young but it was always kinda deaded by HS or just something their parents did for culture but not because the home was religious.
A lot of it is them Tyler Perry movies perpetuating this southern church stereotype. And some others like it whatever ones that show the bad northern/western "boujie" guy comes home to the bible thumping southern town and how he 'done forgot where he came from' that perpetuates a "these southerners are weird" stereotype. There are tons of movies like that.
i think this is more about me growing up in a west-indian household but in college i lost my black card for:
not eating collie-greens and grits.
not having seen the wiz.
not knowing lift every voice and sing.
not knowing how to play spades.
not know how to do the wop.
not dancing the chacha slide/cupid shuffle at weddings.
This may be another sign of low religiosity at least in MA. MA has the highest black vaccination rate in the US https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covi...ace-ethnicity/ Prolly not as many people citing religious/spiritual reasons not to get it. Or it could be due to heavy involvement in the healthcare sector in terms of employment.
I don't know about MA, but many churches in the community in NY would encourage people to get vaccinated. So, even that angle likely depends on where you are.
i think this is more about me growing up in a west-indian household but in college i lost my black card for:
not eating collie-greens and grits.
not having seen the wiz.
not knowing lift every voice and sing.
not knowing how to play spades.
not know how to do the wop.
not dancing the chacha slide/cupid shuffle at weddings.
...
TBH
I think Most West Indians have done some of these. But you grew up in Somerville... AND were Haitian. That's most of it.
i think this is more about me growing up in a west-indian household but in college i lost my black card for:
not eating collie-greens and grits.
not having seen the wiz.
not knowing lift every voice and sing.
not knowing how to play spades.
not know how to do the wop.
not dancing the chacha slide/cupid shuffle at weddings.
...
This is more of where/how you grew up vs. being a West Indian American thing .
i think this is more about me growing up in a west-indian household but in college i lost my black card for:
not eating collie-greens and grits.
not having seen the wiz.
not knowing lift every voice and sing.
not knowing how to play spades.
not know how to do the wop.
not dancing the chacha slide/cupid shuffle at weddings.
...
The difference of being a Haitian American & Afro American is that cultural reference points. Many Aframs have a broad american perception of Black being understood or automatic receptive by other Afro diaspora communities without context. Your black card wasn't lost since your culturally different yet it's lost in the Afram perspective.
Heck, it's funny tossing the black card around when it comes down to individual personalities, upbringings, & black pop entertainment.
The difference of being a Haitian American & Afro American is that cultural reference points. Many Aframs have a broad american perception of Black being understood or automatic receptive by other Afro diaspora communities without context. Your black card wasn't lost since your culturally different yet it's lost in the Afram perspective.
Heck, it's funny tossing the black card around when it comes down to individual personalities, upbringings, & black pop entertainment.
....da heck is The Wiz?
Naw Id agree with 908 this is a factor of how one grows up and where. Somerville just got a few thousands black people in the late 1980s (mostly just recent arrival haitians) and started displacing them by the mid 200s. There is little to no black culture in Somerville, Massachusetts outside of a recording studio and dance hall for black people from Boston and Cambridge. Its like 4% black.
Certainly doesnt my make you less black though just a Different upbringing.
Last edited by BostonBornMassMade; 03-09-2022 at 11:36 AM..
I believe that Aurora CO also has over 250,000 people and is around 17% Black. North Las Vegas is close with around 220,000 people and is about 20% Black.
The bolded city is now 1 of only 2 cities out West with at least 250,000 people and is over 20% black. Oakland is the other city.
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.
