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i think this article is interesting because thats one of the first times i saw black people broken down into the categories of african/carribean/african american. if you look at it in this context and use that formula then there is probably no neighborhood where african americans are a solid majority. Most "black" neighborhoods in brooklyn like crown heights, flatbush, bed stuy, the north bronx and jamaica queens have a high population of west indians and africans too. However does that make them not "black" neighborhoods? or diverse neighborhoods? I dont really think so since african-afro american-west indian cultures all connect and blend with each other....so i guess it just depends how you look at it.....besides if you look at the elementary schools and juniour high schools in harlem, you see all blacks and hispanics....no 1/10 of whites there...So are these white families moving in or just college kids and young professionals using Harlem as a stepping stone?
i think this article is interesting because thats one of the first times i saw black people broken down into the categories of african/carribean/african american. if you look at it in this context and use that formula then there is probably no neighborhood where african americans are a solid majority. Most "black" neighborhoods in brooklyn like crown heights, flatbush, bed stuy, the north bronx and jamaica queens have a high population of west indians and africans too. However does that make them not "black" neighborhoods? or diverse neighborhoods? I dont really think so since african-afro american-west indian cultures all connect and blend with each other....so i guess it just depends how you look at it.....besides if you look at the elementary schools and juniour high schools in harlem, you see all blacks and hispanics....no 1/10 of whites there...So are these white families moving in or just college kids and young professionals using Harlem as a stepping stone?
same race, but different cultures...
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ok, so if its the same race, is the title of the article a little misleading? Did blacks really lose thier majority in harlem? In the article they dont divide hispanics by thier nation of origin or italian whites from irish whites
ok, so if its the same race, is the title of the article a little misleading? Did blacks really lose thier majority in harlem? In the article they dont divide hispanics by thier nation of origin or italian whites from irish whites
That's kinda how I feel with this article, it's pretty misleading. Despite the rises of the white and Latino population, Harlem is still a solid black majority neighborhood.
They are pointing out that ethnicity is more important than race. A hardworking Jamaican has more in common culturally with an Englishman than an African American living in a government housing project.
American race demographics make absolutely no sense. They have Asian, Black and White as races, then out of nowhere they throw in Latino as a race when it is an Ethnicity. Why is this the only Ethnicity that broke away from the racial classifications to earn its own category? This is a testament to the strong Latin culture that refuses to capitulate to American white/black Anglo-consumer culture.
The bottom line is that for a long time America was a relatively simple dichotomy of Black and White. The federal government found success in assimilating urban ethnics into the Anglo-consumer culture via urban ethnic cleansing paired with suburban Americanization. You can see their efforts now to assimilate Latinos away from their native culture into ghetto culture as the music on Spanish stations has taken a thug inclination only in the last few years.
Perhaps West Indians and Black Caribbeans deserve their own racial category like the Latinos as they really have little in common culturally with African Americans. This article could be the first sign that this demographic is breaking away and looking to assert its independence from the African American demographic. African American culture is not the dominant culture for people with black skin in New York. These people should be identified by their ethnicity in places like Harlem. When ethnicity is respected racism becomes a thing of the past as all sorts of barriers fall.
They are pointing out that ethnicity is more important than race. A hardworking Jamaican has more in common culturally with an Englishman than an African American living in a government housing project.
American race demographics make absolutely no sense. They have Asian, Black and White as races, then out of nowhere they throw in Latino as a race when it is an Ethnicity. Why is this the only Ethnicity that broke away from the racial classifications to earn its own category? This is a testament to the strong Latin culture that refuses to capitulate to American white/black Anglo-consumer culture.
The bottom line is that for a long time America was a relatively simple dichotomy of Black and White. The federal government found success in assimilating urban ethnics into the Anglo-consumer culture via urban ethnic cleansing paired with suburban Americanization. You can see their efforts now to assimilate Latinos away from their native culture into ghetto culture as the music on Spanish stations has taken a thug inclination only in the last few years.
Perhaps West Indians and Black Caribbeans deserve their own racial category like the Latinos as they really have little in common culturally with African Americans. This article could be the first sign that this demographic is breaking away and looking to assert its independence from the African American demographic. African American culture is not the dominant culture for people with black skin in New York. These people should be identified by their ethnicity in places like Harlem. When ethnicity is respected racism becomes a thing of the past as all sorts of barriers fall.
To do a further breakdown would be a bit burdensome. Also, your post gives me the impression that being identified with African Americans is such a bad thing. Not all African Americans are ghetto, thugs, living in projects and not "hardworking". Not all people of West Indian descent (especially those born here) are these hardworking people.
Raggaeton - the ghetto music you are referring to - was born in Puerto Rico and has many native elements. Hip Hop crosses many nationalities/ethnicities.
The fact of the matter is, there's not a single neighborhood anywhere in the city that hasn't undergone change. Nothing is static. The less you read into that, the better off you'll be.
(You want change? Take a look at the history of Bushwick. It was founded as a Dutch community--originally Boswijk--became heavily German when Hessian mercenaries decided to stay here after the Revolution. Then it went through an Italian phase. And most recently, black and Hispanic. Now "hipsters" are moving in.)
Yes, that is true, nothing is static. I agree. However, it is just an observation that I've made. When people are referring to a out-migration of minorities, the word "revitalization" is usually mentioned. When a place sees an influx of minorities, then it is coined "urban decay", as if minorities are the source of a neighborhood's ills. Harlem is suddenly on the upswing because there are more Whites moving in.
They are pointing out that ethnicity is more important than race. A hardworking Jamaican has more in common culturally with an Englishman than an African American living in a government housing project.
American race demographics make absolutely no sense. They have Asian, Black and White as races, then out of nowhere they throw in Latino as a race when it is an Ethnicity. Why is this the only Ethnicity that broke away from the racial classifications to earn its own category? This is a testament to the strong Latin culture that refuses to capitulate to American white/black Anglo-consumer culture.
The bottom line is that for a long time America was a relatively simple dichotomy of Black and White. The federal government found success in assimilating urban ethnics into the Anglo-consumer culture via urban ethnic cleansing paired with suburban Americanization. You can see their efforts now to assimilate Latinos away from their native culture into ghetto culture as the music on Spanish stations has taken a thug inclination only in the last few years.
Perhaps West Indians and Black Caribbeans deserve their own racial category like the Latinos as they really have little in common culturally with African Americans. This article could be the first sign that this demographic is breaking away and looking to assert its independence from the African American demographic. African American culture is not the dominant culture for people with black skin in New York. These people should be identified by their ethnicity in places like Harlem. When ethnicity is respected racism becomes a thing of the past as all sorts of barriers fall.
As a person of Caribbean descent I don't mind being categorized with Afro Americans because people tend to have the same stigma toward us associated with them(i.e. especially law enforcement) and many outside of the black community don't care to differentiate. But What I do hate and you brought up a good point, is that black people are always seen as this homogenous group when we're not. We are a very diverse group of people. Even we don't realise it sometimes. As for Latinos being ghetto; hip hop was created with the collaboration of caribbeans, African Americans and Puerto Ricans. I don't know if hip hop was what was being insinuated, but ghetto isn't a culture its an experience. And a place like Harlem and the rest of NY represent how distinct cultures with rich history are affected within this experience. And I can't direct this at you cause even sometimes we(minoirites) think that being ghetto is apart of our cutlure but it isn't, its just another sad chapter in a people's history, especially black americans.
Anyhow, blacks are no longer a majority in Harlem but they're still the largest group. As a result no one in Harlem has a majority, I hope its a good sign...time will tell.
p.s. Riaelise, Reggaeton started in Panama, but I agree with you anyhow.
As a person of Caribbean descent I don't mind being categorized with Afro Americans because people tend to have the same stigma toward us associated with them(i.e. especially law enforcement) and many outside of the black community don't care to differentiate. But What I do hate and you brought up a good point, is that black people are always seen as this homogenous group when we're not. We are a very diverse group of people. Even we don't realise it sometimes. As for Latinos being ghetto; hip hop was created with the collaboration of caribbeans, African Americans and Puerto Ricans. I don't know if hip hop was what was being insinuated, but ghetto isn't a culture its an experience. And a place like Harlem and the rest of NY represent how distinct cultures with rich history are affected within this experience. And I can't direct this at you cause even sometimes we(minoirites) think that being ghetto is apart of our cutlure but it isn't, its just another sad chapter in a people's history, especially black americans.
Anyhow, blacks are no longer a majority in Harlem but they're still the largest group. As a result no one in Harlem has a majority, I hope its a good sign...time will tell.
p.s. Riaelise, Reggaeton started in Panama, but I agree with you anyhow.
Well said
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NY times Article
