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Most people do not go by raw numbers. NY has a larger Black population than all of the states—including MS, GA, MD, etc.—California has a larger Black population that most states...
Yet, no one would say Cali and New York are “Blacker” or more Black-oriented than the other states I mentioned above.
Face it, BBMM...Mass is just a very white and white cultural state. And everybody knows.
There are just a lot of famous black people from MA, black ‘firsts’ in MA, and large cultural and social output from the state it’s an average amount of black and an average amount of white. So it’s not a problem to me how you view MA. It is what it is.
Al B Sure
Patrick Ewing
Donna Summer
Jasmine Guy
Amerie
Ed Og
Brian J. White
Malcolm X
Ayanna Pressley
Kenneth Reeves
Louis Farrakhan
Free
Joyner Lucas
Garcelle Beauvais
Helene Johnson
Dorothy West
The G-Clefs
Jidenna
Michael Carter-Williams
Shabazz Napier
Michael Beach
Tavares
Kofi Kingston
Mashonda
Deval Patrick
Christian Wilkins
Cousin Stizz
WEB DuBois
Frederick Douglass
One member of Shai
Guru
Pooch Hall
New Edition
Touré
Uzo Aduba
Patrice O’Neil
Edward Brooke
Benzino
Marvin Hagler
Ben Carson
Amanda Seales
And many others were either born in Boston or spent a substantial amount of there formative years in Massachusetts. They’ve all commanded national attention and praise over the years. Many have spoken on their time in Massachusetts as being important to their development. This is disregarding black institutions founded in Boston like the National Museum of Afro American Artists and OneUnited Bank-the largest black owned bank in the country. I don’t what more you can reasonable expect seeing as I left off dozens of other prominent blacks from Massachusetts. You’re also disregarding cultural events and festivals of which you have no idea.
Furthermore, who would call Mississippi the black capital to the US just because it has the highest percentage?
More importantly I haven’t even named any prominent Hispanic or Asian people from the state! Of whom there are many more than blacks. You have a perception and you might even have a whole narrative, and you’re not totally wrong, but you’re far from totally right or having everyone or even most people in agreement with you.
Connecticut is an extremely similar state whom I see as a brother state. I have no problem with someone claiming CT as the black capital of New England, doesn’t take away from my state.
As others have said if you live there and are around the state you’d know that . If you don’t that’s fine. It’s a big country with plenty to see. There are many much blacker states and just as many much whiter states.
Still, I’m a part of a wealthy, educated, high income state with an outsized impact on American cultural life. Pristine beaches, green mountains, prominent and unique cities, birthplace of basketball, diversity, legal marijuana, skiing, boating, progressive politics, best public education in the country, Martha’s Vineyard, winning sports teams, easy access to NYC, world class museums, hospitals and attractions. There’s nothing you could say to dissuade me of my pride in Massachusetts. It’s not perfect, but it’s home.
Last edited by BostonBornMassMade; 09-01-2019 at 01:04 PM..
People have a neat and orderly way in which black settlement plays out and are often unwilling to air downright hostile toward questioning their own preconceived notions or even discussing lesser known black populations in a fair way. There a lot of states with smaller black population than MA that aren’t of my concern that also have significant culture and history as well-that ought-IMO- to be acknowledged outside of their state.
This gets us back to the heart of the thread anyway which wasn’t really about culture.
Good feed...
There really is no argument that Mass is the black capital of New England. Connecticut doesn't have anywhere close to Mass's cultural contributions to Black American culture...
There really is no argument that Mass is the black capital of New England. Connecticut doesn't have anywhere close to Mass's cultural contributions to Black American culture...
Movies starring black actors or casts set in Massachusetts:
The Inkwell (Larenz Tate)
How High (Method Man/Red Man/Mike Epps)
Proud Mary (Taraji P. Henson/Danny Glover)
Jumping the Broom (Every damn body)
The Equalizer 1/2 (Denzel Washington)
Gone Baby Gone (Morgan Freeman)
Lift (Kerry Washington)
Squeeze (Tyrone Burton)
Blue Hill Ave(Allen Payne)
How many could we name for Connecticut?
I can only think of My Wife and Kids and the Choate scenes in Power.
Nebraska 4.5%
Arizona 4.1%
Colorado 3.9%
West Virginia 3.9%
Washington 3.5%
Iowa 3.3%
North Dakota 3%
Alaska 2.9%
South Dakota 1.9%
Oregon 1.8%
New Mexico 1.8%
Hawaii 1.6%
New Hampshire 1.3%
Utah 1.2%
Maine 1.2%
Vermont 1.2%
Wyoming 0.9%
Idaho 0.6%
Montana 0.4%
•Only 16 of the 50 states have a black percentage above national average. Approximately 65.3% of Black Americans live in these 16 states (pop 26,222,476)...
•there is a contiguous black belt that spans the entire Southeast minus Kentucky and West Virginia, and snakes up the eastern seaboard to include New Jersey and New York...
•more states are in the 5-10% range than any other category...
•the states right in the middle, percentage-wise, are Oklahoma and Massachusetts, at 7.2% and 7%. In a certain perspective, these states can be seen as having "average" black population...
Yea fair enough, I wasnt sure how you were appraoching it
Lets talk about that last paragraph. This is the time and place for it!
Sorry for the long awaited response.
I'll say that it doesn't leave room for social advancement & middle class lifestyle but it is cumbersome when most of the talk is the same metros per say.
New Jersey seems to get overlooked somewhat in this conversation, but it is the state outside of the South with the second highest percentage and the population is spread throughout the state. Southern NJ seems to be forgotten about, but has quite a few places with at least substantial percentages like Atlantic City, Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton, Salem, Swedesboro and Paulsboro, let alone Camden and some of its suburbs.
I’m pretty sure it’s the second most popular genre of music that the U.S exports after Puerto Rican reggaeton. Or was at least just a few years back.
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