Overall, what's the racial climate like?

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Teranell

I stayed with some friends in Louisville one winter and spring, and spoke with severl black friends of theirs there. They didn't go into detail, but indicated it was not all that great, racially. One woman said something to the effect, "Once you've ended up in Louisville, you realize you've not done very well."

But in termes of race relations, last spring I spent a little while every night in a race relations chatroom that was mostly black -- I'm white. I realized that, while many more white people do seem more tolerant to me -- especially younger white people -- a whole lot of yongish, well educated black people -- people between 30 - 60 -- are very angry. This country has gone backwards in race relations since 1980 when Reagan took office. It's a real shame.

People with a high profile always do better to play down black anger and be more positive and set examples for youth -- but average working people -- especially educated people -- feel very negative about what white culure and society have done to them. Positive, creative black folk show us why it's important to strive towards multicultural ideals, why we need to grow.

But not all black or white people are trying to be positive. Some anthropologists say that black and white cultures are so segregated now that it's possible in 50 years, people might not even speak a real similar dialect of English.

That's pretty much my observation as well - I'm white. It also seems to be very different in different cities.

I grew up in Michigan...and VERY segregated. If you were white and you went to Detroit and weren't in places you'd expect to be in as a white person...police would quickly escort you out...you can also feel the tension. (I'm not black, but I've heard blacks feel that way when they go to white suburbs - I grew up far from urban or suburban in MI - so don't know either world).

Later I moved to Brazil and was teaching English. While they have problems racially...it is more they aren't given the employment opportunities. But socially, people mix all the time together...you don't feel there is a black or whtie culture...but just everyone is Brazilian regardless of color.

I went back to USA and chose NYC. Since there are tons of latinos, they alleviate otherwise black/white tension. But, having been in Brazil...I went to a few 'black' clubs and 'black' bars...people acted kind of strange...one person seriously asked me if I was a sociologist studying black people. I also went to Harlem, and had a black guy quickly try to help me, in case I was lost, and told me it isn't safe, etc. He was being a great and nice guy, for sure, and I was by myself, but my purpose was to explore, not that I was lost.

Nontheless...everyone has 1000 personal stories. But, by and large, there is an emormous division between black and white...and doesn't seem to be coming back together anytime soon.

I do feel that a lot of whites are being very accomodating in the current generations...I also realize there are tons of great black people that are very easy to get to know, and great people who make great friends and are a real pleasure to be around. But where things get tricky, are random strangers. There is this symbolic white guy (oh, he must be racist) and the symbolic black guy (thug, etc.)

For example, when I was in Brazil...I can be white and no one cares. I met a couple black american guys down there - I was introduced to them as we are American after all by some friends, and the instant walls came up...like they were waiting for me to 'slip up' and show my true colors. They just felt very guarded. I understand it makes sense that historically this would be that way. But sometimes, you can just feel that tension at times...but what can you do? Maybe I misread them though.

All that being said...I'm white and I'm very curious about Louisville (not as much about rural Eastern Kentucky - which seems to be where this thread has been going). How are racial relations in Louisville? Are blacks and whites completely separate - prefering going to different bars and clubs and such.

I don't think it exists anywhere in the U.S., that people do mix socially so much...but would be interesting if there is a city that does...and since Louisville just seems like a completely different world - not really typical southern, and definetely not anything else...wondering if there might be anything different about it.

[JefferyT]

The reality (as I see it) is that the black people of Louisville largely (generalizing greatly here) live on the west side of I-65 with the socio-economically lower class white people. They are largely isolated and most white people in Louisville or the surrounding areas haven't ever been over there.

Blacks also live in Smoketown, Shelby Park, Phoenix Hill, and Meriwether, which are all on the east side. Smoketown was black since it was first settled or developed, in the 1850s and then more blacks after Emancipation, who came into the city off the plantations of farms.

Blacks also live in the Newburg/Petersburg area and in Jeffersontown and Buechel, which is in the east end or the central part of the county. Petersburg was a black settlement since just after the Civil War.

All that being said...I'm white and I'm very curious about Louisville (not as much about rural Eastern Kentucky - which seems to be where this thread has been going). How are racial relations in Louisville? Are blacks and whites completely separate - prefering going to different bars and clubs and such.

I don't know enough about nightlife, but from the places Ive been going to they are mostly white, whith maybe one or two black folks. The exception was Stevie Rays, which was a blues place and they had more blacks. The most integrated nightlife in Louisville, as in most cities its size, will be in the gay bars.

For residential areas, Old Louiville is probably the most integrated neighborhood in the city, perhaps the most I've seen in this part of the US.