Young African-Amerian Male Relocating To Memphis...Your Perspective? (Germantown, Cleveland: neighborhoods, schools)

[3southerners]

I agree with the other posters. There are pockets of "bad" all through the city of Memphis but much less in the 'burbs. You will be very well recieved in Memphis and the surrounding suburbs. Professional, male AA are what Memphis needs. As far as churches go, there are all kinds in all denominations. There are several COGIC churches which are mainly AA, but many other churches. I attend a non-denominational church that currently meets in a private school.

[Tigertate]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

I mean I feel safer in downtown St. Louis than downtown Memphis. And when's the last time you've been to downtown St. Louis? Evidently it's exploded in the last couple years. In my experience it's busier both during the day and at night than downtown Memphis. In fact, I do my grocery shopping at the full service Schnuck's down there. Washington Avenue is usually popping, especially on the weekends.

I haven't been to downtown STL since about 2005. I was there on business and was looking for somewhere to eat and relax after meetings (around 5pm). Everything was closed; and I mean everything. I had to have dinner at the hotel. The waitress at the hotel told me that everything DT pretty much shuts down after 4pm.


What exactly made you feel so unsafe in DT Memphis? I typically have fun DT and never feel threatened. There is always a very large police presence and many people around to deter crime. Statistically DT Memphis is very safe.

[Dawn10am]

I don't know, exactly. I've lived in St. Louis for 6 months and only been panhandled--wait for it--TWICE. When I was in DT Memphis it could happen several times in one evening. Even sitting at Starbucks bums would come up and ask for money, a cigarette, anything basically. I was always expecting someone to jump out from around the corner with a knife and demand my wallet. I've never gotten that feeling in St. Louis, and I've spent my fair share of time walking around all quarters of the city at night and during the day. Maybe it's just a personal thing.

[Tigertate]

Yea, Memphis definitely needs to do something about the aggressive panhandling. I have had them bother me on several occasions as well. The homeless basically own court square. Its ridiculous. The city spent a lot of money fixing that area up only to have it turn into a homeless hangout.

[mjtinmemphis]

It would be nice to see Memphis reinvent itself economically and make downtown really shine as the regional hub for business. Imagine 10 new buildings over 600 feet. A downtown workforce of 200k. A downtown population of 80k.. What a dream!

[TooSaucedToPork]

When the bums start approaching you, ask them if they have a dollar before they ask you. 90% will turn around and walk away

[REPBOY]

Originally Posted by TooSaucedToPork

When the bums start approaching you, ask them if they have a dollar before they ask you. 90% will turn around and walk away

Regardless of the way one might feel about the Panhandling problem
being better or worse in any other city, all you need to do is Google "Panhandling problem" or "Panhandling issue" in virtually any major/mid major American city and watch how many articles, discussions and debates pop up featuring local concerns over harassment by these individuals. Every locale should find an effective way of really helping the truly homeless and down on their luck, but at the same time reducing aggressive Panhandling and vagrancy on the key streets of our cities. Memphis is not the leader in the Panhandling rankings!

[MissMemphisBelle]

Originally Posted by ShaunJuan

Memphis is a majority black city, but young black professionals and blacks who are solidly middle class and aren't welfare recipients are harder to find than four leaf clovers. That should answer your questions...

That is SO not true. There are plenty of professional African Americans in Memphis.

[Carlito Brigante]

Originally Posted by MissMemphisBelle

That is SO not true. There are plenty of professional African Americans in Memphis.

Well then where are they?!? If you know where they hang out in Memphis, then PLEASE let me know. I'm a young African American professional so I can tell you from personal experience that Memphis is a city that gets lonely as hell for AA professionals. And the few you do run into have professional jobs and college educations but are usually ghetto as hell (if you don't believe me, just look at most of the Black politicians here), which pretty much cancels out the whole concept of being professional. Memphis is just not a very progressive city for African Americans, even though it's about 70% Black. No wonder so many have left and moved to places like Atlanta, or even Houston.

[Snake Plissken]

A lot in Bartlett, I'd imagine.