Shreveport, LA vs. Jackson, MS vs. Montgomery, AL vs. Macon, GA (Atlanta, people)
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As it relates to key indicators such as education, crime, poverty and economic investment, no these cites have not progressed over the past 50+ years, If anything, they've regressed.
Where are your sources to back up this claim?
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As far as Augusta and Huntsville, you're being too dismissive of the role local leaders played in fostering the tangible progress they made.
In Huntsville's case, after World War II, the Arsenal was an abandoned husk and the economic impact it generared had all but dried up by the end of the 1940s. But instead of just letting it rot, there was an extremely aggressive top-down effort to persuade the army to select the site for rocket research. Otherwise, Huntsville would have been passed up (it almost was) and in the samd boat as these othet cities.
In Augusta's case, both the NSA and the Army Command Center chose Fort Gordon in large part because of how cooperative local leaders has been with addressing their needs. The city and Augusta University didn't balk at forming public-private partnerships to estsblish the talent pipeline they desire, and local leaders have been more than accomodating to the private companies that want to establish a presence in the city to support the Cybersecurity needs of the NSA and the Army Command Center.
In any event, I think we've more than beaten the horse on this discussion. It's clear we're not changing each other opinions.
Aside from the fact that Huntsville has historically had a decent Black population but, like Greenville, has also never been close to being a majority Black city, it is also quite interesting that the major figure responsible for Redstone Arsenal/NASA being located there, Sen. John Sparkman who used his political power and influence as a U.S. senator to get the federal government to make that investment (without knowing that it would ultimately result in the sort of research and high-tech investment that it did when he first lobbied to get Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville), also has an extensive history of opposing civil rights advances.
At any rate, Southern Congressional legislators in particular in the early/mid-1900s were known for using their seniority and clout to steer military installations to cities within their states as a form of economic development. There's a good bit of serendipity involved here as no one had a crystal ball back then and had no idea that certain military investment would turn out to be more advantageous than others. Huntsville also benefitted from the state deciding to build a branch of the University of Alabama there, which came to work in tandem with Redstone Arsenal/NASA.
It should also be noted that not all places with large military installations experienced marked increased prosperity and growth. Fort Bragg/Pope AFB in Fayetteville, NC are HUGE, yet you'd most likely characterize Fayetteville in a similarly to Jackson, Montgomery, Shreveport, and Macon if you know anything about it. Sumter, SC is home to Shaw AFB, which is pretty important in and of itself, yet Sumter is the most stagnant metro area in the state. Again, Huntsville in particular got very lucky and is very much an anomaly.
I really dislike all of these cities. I wouldn't want to live in any of them.
I agree. I could not see myself living in them. I visited Macon often on the way to vacations in Florida before and it was always dead and nothing to do. These cities all feel like traveling back in time. Should have had an option for none.
I'm very familiar with all of them except for Macon, and I consider all of them to feel run down and frankly many of them seem to have fewer amenities than other cities of comparable size, or even smaller metro areas.
I have been through Macon and I lived in Georgia for ten years but I haven't been there in over 20 years.
I agree. I could not see myself living in them. I visited Macon often on the way to vacations in Florida before and it was always dead and nothing to do. These cities all feel like traveling back in time. Should have had an option for none.
I'm sure old parts of your city feel backwards as well.
If I had to live in one of these four metro areas, the Ridgeland/Madison area in north metro Jackson would probably be my choice. Maybe commuting from Auburn would be feasible for Montgomery, or from the far south Atlanta exurbs for Macon, in order to live in a safer and more prosperous area.
I certainly hope all four of these Deep South cities can make progress in the future, but they are generally laggards compared to many other comparably sized places in the region.
I agree. I could not see myself living in them. I visited Macon often on the way to vacations in Florida before and it was always dead and nothing to do. These cities all feel like traveling back in time. Should have had an option for none.
Have you visited the other 3 cities?
Underline statement: How so & what's the entertainment you seek?
Bolded statememt: I'm always curious on these statememts , as I hear or see it refers to my state ( Sipp) alot, and wonder what stirs such perspective?
I'm very familiar with all of them except for Macon, and I consider all of them to feel run down and frankly many of them seem to have fewer amenities than other cities of comparable size, or even smaller metro areas.
I have been through Macon and I lived in Georgia for ten years but I haven't been there in over 20 years.
How much amenities should cities of comparable size have? You mentioned a time gap as well so when did you visit these places?
This is the Black version of coastal elitism and I really don't care for it.
These are all majority Black cities that have mostly been neglected or even actively punished by their states to one degree or another in the post-civil rights South. That's the frustration I have when people talk about these cities in this way. This isn't to say that the current population and leadership haven't made missteps, but put the blame where it squarely belongs: on Southern state governments indifferent or outright hostile to progress in majority Black cities that suffer from stereotypes they aren't even responsible for. And they have PLENTY of genuine Southern Hospitality to offer. I totally understand the need to have to live in larger, more progressive cities for the sake of advancing one's career and having access to more amenities and opportunities, but let's be honest about what's happening here.
And let it be known that it was the Black population in Macon, Augusta, Albany, and all of those other 'despised' cities folks like to look down on that also helped flip Georgia this year.
Elitism or pity? Or perhaps a combination of both? Full disclosure that I have never been to any of those cities but have not heard anything positive about Jackson or Montgomery. I don't know anything really about Shreveport except that the mayor ran for the senate seat in the recent election. Honestly, the first thing that crosses my mind when I hear Montgomery is racism. I voted Macon. I follow a few people from Macon on social media and it doesn't seem to bad. Macon's proximity to Atlanta and Atlanta's amenities (i.e. airport, shopping, NBA/NFL/MLB, concerts) is a plus.
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