The truth behind North Minneapolis (Blaine: home, living, zoning)

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Dontbewillful

I actually just bought my first home in Humboldt Industrial....there's a 1.5 block stretch between Victory Memorial and the trainyard that runs for about a mile. I love it there. I was tickled to see it at the very bottom of the list!

Hi dontbewillful- welcome to the neighborhood! Depending where you're at on that stretch, you would actually be in either Victory or Webber-Camden neighborhoods. If you are west of Newton Ave N, you are in Victory, east of it, you are in Webber-Camden. To my knowledge there aren't any actual houses in Humboldt Industrial (or other industrial areas), but regardless of which neighborhood you're in, you're correct in that you are in a very low-crime area in that stretch (and Humboldt Industrial virtually has no crime). One thing that's a bonus for that area is that a dog park will be opening just north of Osseo Road in the very NW corner of the Victory Neighborhood in Spring of 2009 which likely will be easy walking distance for you as it's just south of Humboldt Industrial/railroad tracks (it is currently a prairie-type area that is open to the public). In the future the hope is that it and the prairie area will be connected by trail to Ryan Lake going underneath the Osseo Road overpass.

Keep in touch- I may know of some resources you might be interested in if it turns out that you're in the Victory Neighborhood (neighborhood information, upcoming meetings/events, and I could even put you on the list to receive a neighborhood welcome packet)!

[Isabel_009]

Wow, is this really true? The 2002 statistic is a bit old, but still. Where did you find this information? I'm from Toronto and I feel reasonably safe here, however I do feel that for the size of the city it feels quite urban -- like a real big city but small. But I don't have much experience in American cities and make my comparison to Toronto. Most areas of Toronto feel safe. There are places to avoid, but that's easy because there's nothing to attract you to such areas anyway. I feel that it may be easier to wander into an unsafe neighbourhood here, but that is admittedly based on very limited experience.

Originally Posted by Northstar17

I seriously doubt that Toronto, the safest of all Canadian cities, has a higher crime rate then north Minneapolis. Toronto had a muder rate of 2.3 in 2002, compared to Minneapolis, whom had a muder rate of 12.3.

[MxdWithLuv]

Originally Posted by Mistacoolio20

Why you throwing salt man? Skin has nothing to do with knowledge. These people just don't live their, thats why they don't know stuff. Not because of their skin. Move to the south if your going to have that attitude. We don't rep that **** here man.

Why do some people from other parts of the US think the South wants racist people? Yes, the South tends to be more conservative than other areas. Yes, the South has racist people (they're everywhere) but that doesn't mean all racists should move here!! I'm mixed, have friends from numerous ethinic backgrounds, was raised in a mixed neighborhood, attended a mixed race school where different races associated with each other, and i've dated men of different races all while living in the South (Charleston to be exact)!! Don't send those people here, its much better without them. I don't mean to offend anyone but I was a little offended & felt the need to rant a little :-).

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by MxdWithLuv

Why do some people from other parts of the US think the South wants racist people? Yes, the South tends to be more conservative than other areas. Yes, the South has racist people (they're everywhere) but that doesn't mean all racists should move here!! I'm mixed, have friends from numerous ethinic backgrounds, was raised in a mixed neighborhood, attended a mixed race school where different races associated with each other, and i've dated men of different races all while living in the South (Charleston to be exact)!! Don't send those people here, its much better without them. I don't mean to offend anyone but I was a little offended & felt the need to rant a little :-).

I wouldn't say the South wants racist people, but it has a very vivid history and reputation for racism, and in many conservative areas, it seems more acceptable to be a racist. That is what have experienced. Black and white children might go to school together, but it doesn't mean everything is rosy. Some stuff lies below the surface and it comes out sometimes. At least that is my experience.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by mrkue

M504...Did you know that a lot of the Thugs and Gang members from Minneapolis are Transplant from Detroit and Chicago? I bet most are the muders in that city is attributed to those Transplant. When I was still living in Minnesota I met a lot of guys from my neighborhood in Detroit all scattered through out Minneapolis and St.Paul because they say it's easy money and no competion in Minnesota. The only ones are from the Chicago people. Detroit Boys, ask that to those Minnesota Boys and they know the deal. Them D boyz got things on lock in Minneapolis.

Interesting that you mention Chicago and Detroit. There in a Minnesota Public Radio documentary about African-Americans moving to the Twin Cities area. Many African-Americans moved from Chicago, Detroit, and other Midwestern cities to get away from the growing violence in those areas and many did find better lives in the Twin Cities area. Sadly, many gangs moved to the Twin Cities area from the same areas mentioned. Add crack to the equation and something like Murderapolis occurs. In fact, that is exactly what happened in 1995, when Minneapolis recorded more than 95 murders. Minneapolis has become much safer since then, especially this year.
Link:MPR: Moving Up, Part One
MPR: Moving Up, Part Two

[MxdWithLuv]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I wouldn't say the South wants racist people, but it has a very vivid history and reputation for racism, and in many conservative areas, it seems more acceptable to be a racist. That is what have experienced. Black and white children might go to school together, but it doesn't mean everything is rosy. Some stuff lies below the surface and it comes out sometimes. At least that is my experience.

The point of my post was to show that racism is not just in the South, its everywhere & sending a racist person to the South won't accomplish anything because there will be another racist to take that persons place. I'm not interested in starting a History class so I won't focus on the "vivid history and reputation of racism" the South has. I'm one of the "Black" children that went to a mixed school (white, black, hispanic, asian) & everything was rosy (in my opinion). Many of the children I went to school with lived in or around my neighborhood. We spent the night to each other's homes, went to church together, partied together, etc. Our interactions weren't limited to school functions only. Some of them are still my friends to this day. This notion that blacks & whites don't get along or if they do its superficial is false. Maybe i'm one of the luck ones to have experience integration to that extent who knows? Being a product of an interracial marriage my parents made it their priorty to expose us to people of different races so they did.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by MxdWithLuv

The point of my post was to show that racism is not just in the South, its everywhere & sending a racist person to the South won't accomplish anything because there will be another racist to take that persons place. I'm not interested in starting a History class so I won't focus on the "vivid history and reputation of racism" the South has. I'm one of the "Black" children that went to a mixed school (white, black, hispanic, asian) & everything was rosy (in my opinion). Many of the children I went to school with lived in or around my neighborhood. We spent the night to each other's homes, went to church together, partied together, etc. Our interactions weren't limited to school functions only. Some of them are still my friends to this day. This notion that blacks & whites don't get along or if they do its superficial is false. Maybe i'm one of the luck ones to have experience integration to that extent who knows? Being a product of an interracial marriage my parents made it their priorty to expose us to people of different races so they did.

I am aware the fact that racism exists everywhere. I think the history and the way things panned out across the USA varies. I lived in a diverse area(Marietta,GA, a suburb of Atlanta) and I didn't really have problems. I moved further out to Dallas,GA and I caught problems. I was just giving my own experience of high school. If I stayed in Marietta, it would have been a different story. Your experience was also different. It might have depended on some things.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Link:MPR: Moving Up, Part One
MPR: Moving Up, Part Two

I have read the transcripts of this before, but thanks for posting as it was interesting to read it in its entirety again- I don't there has been any significant change in the past 12 years or so, but I do think the core cities do still retain a special attitude (as spoken about by Bill Green in the story) and the cities do have a burgeoining black middle class. Thanks-

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

I have read the transcripts of this before, but thanks for posting as it was interesting to read it in its entirety again- I don't there has been any significant change in the past 12 years or so, but I do think the core cities do still retain a special attitude (as spoken about by Bill Green in the story) and the cities do have a burgeoining black middle class. Thanks-

You're welcome. I first found this article in the summer of 2004. I was getting sick of living in Georgia(I was a new high school graduate and I had some resentment towards living in Georgia). I was researching stuff about other states such as Colorado, Washington, and Minnesota. I came across this article because I was wondering how I would do in Minneapolis. In a way, I have a since of being proud, and being a bit cynical. I see some success and good things, but the ugly gets more attention than anything. My aunt moved to Minnesota from Louisiana sometimes in the 1970's and Mpls has been her home ever since. She is doing well there and many African-Americans have found success stories being in the cities. What makes me unhappy is the fact that gangs got in. Not only, this was during the crack epidemic. Mpls came out of it strong, but it hit the TC area like an freight train. I definitely will keep Mpls in mind when I decide on where to move to when I graduate from college.

[MxdWithLuv]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I am aware the fact that racism exists everywhere. I think the history and the way things panned out across the USA varies. I lived in a diverse area(Marietta,GA, a suburb of Atlanta) and I didn't really have problems. I moved further out to Dallas,GA and I caught problems. I was just giving my own experience of high school. If I stayed in Marietta, it would have been a different story. Your experience was also different. It might have depended on some things.

I'm not too familiar with GA, i've been to ATL a few times to shop & that was it. I think the bigger a city/town is the better things are. My grandparents lived in a small town outside of Columbia, SC for a long time, the segregation there is something else. Its like stepping back into the 60s!!