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I am not going to argue on line and try to convince anyone of my personal bad experiences with living on the north side. I have many second hand stories from Black peers that comfirm my experience where not isolated.
The fact is Chicago has one of the largest Black populations in the nation and many are leaving to pursue a better life elsewhere.
The Black professional class is not flocking to Chicago (nor any part) for many reasons. The numbers don't lie. I will write that it is kind of hard to say an entire city is racist because there are many who are not in any city. I can write with confidence that Chicago isn't a top tier nor a second tier for Blacks because of the racial climate and many find better opportunity elsewhere.
I find it shocking that you find Chicago racist when you live in a place like Saint Louis. Saint Louis is known to be one of the most segregated and racist cities in the entire country. Would you say that you felt Chicago had a more racist atmosphere than Saint Louis does?
I find it shocking that you find Chicago racist when you live in a place like Saint Louis. Saint Louis is known to be one of the most segregated and racist cities in the entire country. Would you say that you felt Chicago had a more racist atmosphere than Saint Louis does?
Very interesting comment.
St. Louis is racially motivated just like most Midwestern rust belt cities. There is a level of segregation to St. Louis that many who live in newer sun belt cities may be taken by surprise by. Expecially in the suburbs.
Even in St Louis most gentrified neighborhoods you will find a decent mix of Blacks and Whites living together. It is much easier to find integration in housing and in the social scene in St Louis than Chicago.
I can basically go to any bar in St Louis and enjoy myself without thought of race. Very seldom have I been to a restaurant and was the only one. That wasn't the case in Chicago. Where as many places in Chicago you would think Blacks didn't even exist in that city. When I lived in west Lakeview in Chicago (other than homeless people) I would go days without seeing any Blacks who live there.
St. Louis isn't loosing Blacks like you find in Chicago. As a matter of fact you find a lot of Blacks living in St Louis from Chicago.
I do find a lot of covert racists in St Louis who would not have the nerve to say something to your face and i find many Whites fear Blacks. Where as Whites in Chicago are more aggressive and territorial with their racism.
All in all I do enjoy St Louis more as a Black man because I can basically go anywhere and not have a thought of racism even though I know there is racism here (if you get the picture). That was not the case in Chicago. So the answer to your question is no. I don't find St Louis to be this great utopia for racial harmony but I do find it better then Chicago. If we where comparing St Louis to Charlotte or a newer sunbelt city, it would be a different conversation.
St. Louis is racially motivated just like most Midwestern rust belt cities. There is a level of segregation to St. Louis that many who live in newer sun belt cities may be taken by surprise by. Expecially in the suburbs.
Even in St Louis most gentrified neighborhoods you will find a decent mix of Blacks and Whites living together. It is much easier to find integration in housing and in the social scene in St Louis than Chicago.
I can basically go to any bar in St Louis and enjoy myself without thought of race. Very seldom have I been to a restaurant and was the only one. That wasn't the case in Chicago. Where as many places in Chicago you would think Blacks didn't even exist in that city. When I lived in west Lakeview in Chicago (other than homeless people) I would go days without seeing any Blacks who live there.
St. Louis isn't loosing Blacks like you find in Chicago. As a matter of fact you find a lot of Blacks living in St Louis from Chicago.
I do find a lot of covert racists in St Louis who would not have the nerve to say something to your face and i find many Whites fear Blacks. Where as Whites in Chicago are more aggressive and territorial with their racism.
All in all I do enjoy St Louis more as a Black man because I can basically go anywhere and not have a thought of racism even though I know there is racism here (if you get the picture). That was not the case in Chicago. So the answer to your question is no. I don't find St Louis to be this great utopia for racial harmony but I do find it better then Chicago. If we where comparing St Louis to Charlotte or a newer sunbelt city, it would be a different conversation.
hmmm, interesting, I had no idea racism was that prevalent in Chicago and I also didn't realize Saint Louis wasn't as bad (race relations wise) as it's made out to be.
hmmm, interesting, I had no idea racism was that prevalent in Chicago and I also didn't realize Saint Louis wasn't as bad (race relations wise) as it's made out to be.
Well St Louis is no utopia for racial harmony! I can recall a time when you would not find any Blacks south of 44. Now Black account for over 20% of the south of 64 population The only race mixing place back in the 80s and 90s was the Central West End. Thankfully the city has definitely moved past that.
Many suburbs are still over 90% White outside of the 270 corridor. With the exception of north county.
hmmm, interesting, I had no idea racism was that prevalent in Chicago and I also didn't realize Saint Louis wasn't as bad (race relations wise) as it's made out to be.
Chicago is not that bad. At least not on the north side which is equivalent to the size of SF. He is exaggerating.
I would really like to know a guesstimate of how many incidents he has had that would be telling. For all we know it could have been 2-3 racist experiences since he is so vague on the incidents.
ok see I can agree that Chicago is not the best city for black professionals, not because the city is racist (at least not the northside) but there really isn't a big presence of black professionals here like you might find in places like Atlanta, NYC, or DC.
That's because black professionals are leaving Chicago in droves. Chicago has fallen from 7th place to 21st place in the percentage black professional households earning over $100k per year. This just happened in the past decade and the trend is showing no signs of reversing.
That's because black professionals are leaving Chicago in droves. Chicago has fallen from 7th place to 21st place in the percentage black professional households earning over $100k per year. This just happened in the past decade and the trend is showing no signs of reversing.
Yeah I read the Tribune article on this and nowhere does it state it's due to racism....
Yep. We went up to Chicago last year for a family member's funeral. Almost all the black Chicagoans we talked to expressed how badly they wanted to get out of Chicago. Many even got excited when we told them we live in Texas, and started smiling and saying, "I want to move down there!" or just naming different Southern cities and states that they had heard great things about, knew people who relocated to, or wanted to relocate to themselves.
It's always weird for me hearing black people from Chicago express how much they want to leave the Chi and do a reverse migration down South, because I grew up in a generation where Chicago was an "it" city for black people; one they couldn't leave the South quick enough to get to, and the few who did have to leave Chicago and move back down South during those days always had this big city chip on their shoulders and were indignant about having to leave Chicago and move to "the country," as they called it.
Man, how things change. But when you go to Chicago these days, you can understand why.
Ha!
You went for a funeral and now you know the city well. Got it.
I've never met anyone in Chicago (I've lived there for a long time) that wants to move to the awful state of Texas. Talk about a state full of racist, homophobic, unaccepting people. If I don't know Texas well, you sure as heck don't know Chicago at all either.
If people leave Chicago, they want to move to Florida (occasionally), but mostly California,New York City, or Atlanta if they go south. I also know a lot of people who choose Minneapolis. Those I can understand.
You went for a funeral and now you know the city well. Got it.
I've never met anyone in Chicago (I've lived there for a long time) that wants to move to the awful state of Texas. Talk about a state full of racist, homophobic, unaccepting people. If I don't know Texas well, you sure as heck don't know Chicago at all either.
If people leave Chicago, they want to move to Florida (occasionally), but mostly California,New York City, or Atlanta if they go south. I also know a lot of people who choose Minneapolis. Those I can understand.
Texas?! Faggetaboutit!
I know at least 5 Blacks from the Chicago area that have transferred to Dallas or Houston within the last 2 years.
I know at least 5 Blacks from the Chicago area that have transferred to Dallas or Houston within the last 2 years.
Good for you.
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