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I know there's Fisk and TSU, but I just returned from visiting Nashville for the first time and I could count on my hand how many Black folks I saw. I went all around too.
You couldn't have gone all around. There is a large black population there. Defintely bothers me if people say they went all around but didnt go to black areas. Maybe Nashville doesnt have preodminately black areas...I doubt that though.
I know a woman living in Boston who is from Jackson, and went to school at Vanderbilt. She now teaches at presitigious university in Boston.
She has always lamented the whitewashing of Nashville. But ..on the other side, to be honest- she doesnt seem to have liked Nashville, at least certainly not as much as Jackson, or Roxbury (idk about all of Boston) and rarely ever mentions it unless asked. What she said I wont get into because I dont want to use her words as my own.
If you read the book The Talented Tenth by WEB DuBois he mentions how "Most of them rose up through the colored schools of New York and Philadelphia and Boston"
Nashville having HBCUs is nice and significant--but i don't think that carries it past its lack of indentifiability or, uniqueness. I dont associate Nasvhille with a historical or present black bourgeiose and Im not sure if others do
I think most northeastern cities and southern cities will have an equivalent if not deeper history than Nashville.
Interesting you’ve never heard of Meharry? I’ve traveled quite a bit and lived in Atlanta and a lot of the Black Ph’d’s I’ve met got their doctorate from there. Not trying to compare Nashville to Boston but I hear more about Black culture living in Atlanta about Nashville than Boston mainly due to the HBCU’s there. No knock on Boston though as I’m sure as you’ve mentioned the Black culture there as well.
I know there's Fisk and TSU, but I just returned from visiting Nashville for the first time and I could count on my hand how many Black folks I saw. I went all around too.
There’s four HBCU’s in Nashville, TSU, Fisk, Meharry and American Baptist College, which I believe ties it with Atlanta in actual number. Most of the schools are relatively small except TSU but historic none the less. Also, I’m having a hard time seeing that you’ve explored the whole city and hardly saw Black people unless you just stayed downtown or midtown cause North Nashville/Bordeaux and Antioch are majority Black. Granted a lot of the former majority Black areas like 12 South and East Nashville have been gentrified to all get out. Having a hard time believing you explored the whole city and came away with that conclusion.
Interesting you’ve never heard of Meharry? I’ve traveled quite a bit and lived in Atlanta and a lot of the Black Ph’d’s I’ve met got their doctorate from there. Not trying to compare Nashville to Boston but I hear more about Black culture living in Atlanta about Nashville than Boston mainly due to the HBCU’s there. Noknock on Boston though as I’m sure as you’ve mentioned the Black culture there as well.
Regional probably in its scope, and yeah, Nashville and Boston are more regional cities in regard to balck life. Nashville is pretty close to ATL. I have heard of Fisk and even TSU through sports, but I don't think I realized it was an HBCU for whatever reason.
I'd never heard of any Black Nashville whatsoever until City Data. Its just no well-represented if you don't run in that HBCU circle.
Boston has more media surrounding it and its outer areas than Nashville does. But Nashville is in the South and has HBCUs.
But it also shows up on Kevin Harts's Comedy show, where he goes to various cities and does mini-special for various black comedians. He goes to 24 cities including Boston, Baltimore, Birmingham, Seattle, Phoenix, San Diego, Paterson NJ, Atlanta, Houston, the Twin Cities and more but never made it to Nashville.
The big difference is that Boston is highly idiosyncratic/unique from other black communities besides New York. Linguistically alone- it's a huge difference-- where sle are you going to find a Cape Verdeasn Duwop Group with thick Boston accents and lusophone surnames? Adidas Parties, Nosa, and words like firm/frail/on dawgs/ thats chips/jimmies/scoonties etc.
My point is there's a lot that it would take to be Tier 2 let alone Tier 1 if the bottom of Tier 3 is Boston. It's go the first black everything up there...Forget about New Jersey with their Queen Latifahs, Whitney Houstons, Newark, New Jersey Drive, countless athletes, actors, jersey club, Naughty by Nature, Jughandles, North/South divide...its huge.
Last edited by BostonBornMassMade; 04-17-2024 at 04:24 PM..
Regional probably in its scope, and yeah, Nashville and Boston are more regional cities in regard to balck life. Nashville is pretty close to ATL. I have heard of Fisk and even TSU through sports, but I don't think I realized it was an HBCU for whatever reason.
I'd never heard of any Black Nashville whatsoever until City Data. Its just no well-represented if you don't run in that HBCU circle.
Boston has more media surrounding it and its outer areas than Nashville does. But Nashville is in the South and has HBCUs.
But it also shows up on Kevin Harts's Comedy show, where he goes to various cities and does mini-special for various black comedians. He goes to 24 cities including Boston, Baltimore, Birmingham, Seattle, Phoenix, San Diego, Paterson NJ, Atlanta, Houston, the Twin Cities and more but never made it to Nashville.
The big difference is that Boston is highly idiosyncratic/unique from other black communities besides New York. Linguistically alone- it's a huge difference-- where sle are you going to find a Cape Verdeasn Duwop Group with thick Boston accents and lusophone surnames? Adidas Parties, Nosa, and words like firm/frail/on dawgs/ thats chips/jimmies/scoonties etc.
My point is there's a lot that it would take to be Tier 2 let alone Tier 1 if the bottom of Tier 3 is Boston. It's go the first black everything up there...Forget about New Jersey with their Queen Latifahs, Whitney Houstons, Newark, New Jersey Drive, countless athletes, actors, jersey club, Naughty by Nature, Jughandles, North/South divide...its huge.
As the other poster stated : North & East Nashville is where most of the black community resides with a sizable presence in South Nashville. North Nashville is the historic section. I lived in Antioch back in 03. Made on/off trips to Nashville since.
Boston gets attention for its age, legacy, & geography. That helps significantly in bringing some mainstream media attention to it's Black locale.
As the other poster stated : North & East Nashville is where most of the black community resides with a sizable presence in South Nashville. North Nashville is the historic section. I lived in Antioch back in 03. Made on/off trips to Nashville since.
Boston gets attention for its age, legacy, & geography. That helps significantly in bringing some mainstream media attention to it's Black locale.
I don't have any doubts about Nashville's educational legacy or its black population's existence. I once met a black kid from Nashville at a visit to Bowdoin College in Maine; he's was my first exposure. Sidenote: He was kind of odd, though, I didn't get to talk to him much you would've thought he'd be my host, but no, they gave me a white host from Andover, MA...
I'm simply saying there's A LOT of history in the cities in the tiers above it. I don't think it can skip the line like that. I just listed a few things from Boston, But when your at the top of that list, it's pretty damn heavy. And more visibility/ and localisms. Tier 2 is like... Philly, Oakland, Memphis, and stuff. Cities where no one gonna come and say I didn't see black folks around under any circumstance.
I think Nashville gets most of its visibility due to its location in the middle of the South, where other black folks are quite literally passing by, coming through, and the like.
Boston IMO lacks visibility and identifiability because it has a bad reputation amongst Black Americans and is overshadowed by the very robust white culture. Its visibility, I think, is mostly due to the high levels of success/legacy (Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Crispus Attucks, Phyliss Wheatley), age, and the highly unique position/makeup/nature of its black population (Francophone, Lusophone, Hispanophone, Anglophone). But it still has people like Sam Jay (two HBO shows), Jidenna, Ziwe, Garcele Beauvais, Patrice Oneal, Benzino, Ayo Edebiri and others who are visible and have represented the city in more modern times.
But yea, Nashville Tier 2, I don't see it. My opinion gave my reasoning.. it's not law. But it is law that it definitely isn't Tier 1.
Tier 3 at best. But Tier 4. There are very few if any prominet African Americans form Nashville in the public eye. I personally can only name Young Buck...
Clothing Speech Dress any black TV shows or Movies?
Like lets be real every city with an HBCU or elite university has produced black professional/leaders.
Marthas Vineyard has a whole exhibit in the Smithsonian Museum of African American history in DC. It's very arguably more unique identifiable than Nashville but not nearly as robust. I wouldn't list it because its tiny though.
Tier 1:
New Orleans
Detroit
DC
Atlanta (mostly here on raw size for me)
Tier 1a:
New York
Philly
Houston
Baltimore
Chicago
Los Angeles
Off rip- Nashivlle is out of these Tiers. Full stop.
Tier 2:
St. Louis
Memphis
Miami
Oakland/SF
Baton Rouge
Richmond/ Hampton Roads, VA cities
How can Nasvhile compare to Oakland Miami or Memphis.? Idk why Baton Rouge is here so that may be a means for an argument in favor of Nasvhille but thats it
Tier 3:
Dallas
Boston
Louisville
Charlotte
Orlando
Charleston
Blacks from Appalachia (WV, Western PA, Kentucky, Western VA)
Birmingham
New Jersey
Now its getting more feasbile. But it certainly is not ahead of Charleston, Dallas Birmingham, Boston or New Jersey at least 2 of which should be Tier 2. But it pairs comfortably with Lousiville, Charlotte, and blacks from Appalachia
I'm not with you on this one my guy.
Oprah spent her formative years in Nashville. It was actually a Nashville TV Station (WTVF - NewsChannel 5 - one of the best in the country still) that got Oprah her big break in the 1970s.
I grew up in North Nashville and have yet to find many neighborhoods in the country that has such as a rich Black legacy in a compact area. It was so special growing up next to three HBCUs in walking distance from each other. Now, it did receive its fair share of racism, but the community is still going strong today.
Hot Chicken was just a normal dish you would snack on after church or before Sunday dinner - now it's national and starting to be global in scope.
Nashville also had an instrumental role in planning the March on Washington - with the Fiskites such as Rep. John Lewis and the SNCC organization. The city is also home to the African-American Music Museum affiliated with the Smithsonian. WEB DuBois had a very strong relationship with Fisk as well.
The city stayed with the Democratic Party even as the party evolved from a Southern one to a pluaralistic national one - not many cities experienced that. It's never been a Republican town despite all the folks who cosplay what Nashville is in the last 10 years or so (many of whom live outside Davidson Co. anyway).
It certainly has Oakland beat - the Bay Area is lacking a Black middle class. Nashville is at least Tier 2.5 in my book. Even Newark and New Haven have Oakland beat at this point or at least on par as the Bay Area has really hallowed out.
There's nothing in New England that matches it either and I say that as a CT resident in the tri-state area who is NESCAC and HYP educated.
Matter of fact, there's always been a strong relationship between Fisk University and Yale Divinity School for decades educating some of the nation's leading Black clergy.
Read up some more before kicking some knowledge.
Last edited by norcal2k19; 04-17-2024 at 06:38 PM..
I know there's Fisk and TSU, but I just returned from visiting Nashville for the first time and I could count on my hand how many Black folks I saw. I went all around too.
Nashville has some of the most integrated suburbs in the country (it more integrated than any Northeastern metro for example) - most of our people live out there, including my brother. The central neighborhoods like North Nashville are experiencing another round of redevelopment as other cities are seeing.
Regional probably in its scope, and yeah, Nashville and Boston are more regional cities in regard to balck life. Nashville is pretty close to ATL. I have heard of Fisk and even TSU through sports, but I don't think I realized it was an HBCU for whatever reason.
I'd never heard of any Black Nashville whatsoever until City Data. Its just no well-represented if you don't run in that HBCU circle.
Boston has more media surrounding it and its outer areas than Nashville does. But Nashville is in the South and has HBCUs.
But it also shows up on Kevin Harts's Comedy show, where he goes to various cities and does mini-special for various black comedians. He goes to 24 cities including Boston, Baltimore, Birmingham, Seattle, Phoenix, San Diego, Paterson NJ, Atlanta, Houston, the Twin Cities and more but never made it to Nashville.
The big difference is that Boston is highly idiosyncratic/unique from other black communities besides New York. Linguistically alone- it's a huge difference-- where sle are you going to find a Cape Verdeasn Duwop Group with thick Boston accents and lusophone surnames? Adidas Parties, Nosa, and words like firm/frail/on dawgs/ thats chips/jimmies/scoonties etc.
My point is there's a lot that it would take to be Tier 2 let alone Tier 1 if the bottom of Tier 3 is Boston. It's go the first black everything up there...Forget about New Jersey with their Queen Latifahs, Whitney Houstons, Newark, New Jersey Drive, countless athletes, actors, jersey club, Naughty by Nature, Jughandles, North/South divide...its huge.
Look - many Black music artists including Jill Scott live in the Nashville area. Sure, they may be more low-key about it, but I'll bet you Nashville has more Black artists and musicians stop by it than Boston any day, especially with the recent rise of the city in the last 10 years. It just has more American Black culture than Boston, which is a mosaic of the diaspora but it doesn't have many Black legacy defining institutions that Nashville has with Meharry and Fisk (both national not regional HBCUs), TN State, and its influential Civil Rights legacy.
I don't have any doubts about Nashville's educational legacy or its black population's existence. I once met a black kid from Nashville at a visit to Bowdoin College in Maine; he's was my first exposure. Sidenote: He was kind of odd, though, I didn't get to talk to him much you would've thought he'd be my host, but no, they gave me a white host from Andover, MA...
I'm simply saying there's A LOT of history in the cities in the tiers above it. I don't think it can skip the line like that. I just listed a few things from Boston, But when your at the top of that list, it's pretty damn heavy. And more visibility/ and localisms. Tier 2 is like... Philly, Oakland, Memphis, and stuff. Cities where no one gonna come and say I didn't see black folks around under any circumstance.
I think Nashville gets most of its visibility due to its location in the middle of the South, where other black folks are quite literally passing by, coming through, and the like.
Boston IMO lacks visibility and identifiability because it has a bad reputation amongst Black Americans and is overshadowed by the very robust white culture. Its visibility, I think, is mostly due to the high levels of success/legacy (Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Crispus Attucks, Phyliss Wheatley), age, and the highly unique position/makeup/nature of its black population (Francophone, Lusophone, Hispanophone, Anglophone). But it still has people like Sam Jay (two HBO shows), Jidenna, Ziwe, Garcele Beauvais, Patrice Oneal, Benzino, Ayo Edebiri and others who are visible and have represented the city in more modern times.
But yea, Nashville Tier 2, I don't see it. My opinion gave my reasoning.. it's not law. But it is law that it definitely isn't Tier 1.
Yeah i wasnt arguing against nor for Nashville's Tier 2 spot just lightweight info & comparisons between the 2.
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