The Map of Integration (Spade: statistics, rated, cities)

[Westerner92]

I found this one tract west of Houston in the "Four Corners" area (tract 6727) that's basically 25% for the main four ethnicities, and it's not lightly populated either. That's some heavy integration. Also, the northern suburbs of Dallas are way more integrated than certain inner-city Dallasites make them out to be.

[TXTwizter]

What I find interesting is areas that are mostly "white" seem more integrated than areas that are predominately hispanic or black. Wonder what thats all about?

Zip Code 76708, Census Track 9

[Spade]

Yeah I'm currently in 60163 and the census tract 8168.
When I lived in DC, I lived in 20002 and the census tract 7901.
And in Killeen, 76549 (that's what it is now but the site has it differently) and the census tract 23102.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by ClarenceBodiker

I'll say this. Texas kicks ass as a whole compared to places like Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New England when it comes to integration. What the hell is with these yankees and west coasters? It seems like they have way more neighborhoods that are comprised of 75% - 90% of one ethnic group. Looks like we're the only ones consistently buying into the whole "melting pot" thing.

I was going to mention the same general thing. That is, how it is "interesting" that Southern cities are much more "integrated" than those in the more "progressive" northeast or on the west coast cities.

Break here a moment:

I am not one of those who think "integration" is desirable for its own sake, in the sense it demands a government "solution" to a "problem" that is really not a problem so much as a fact of human existence.

That is to say, I object to measures like "forced busing" to achieve some federal judges' arbitrary ideal of "racial balance." And far as I am concerned, one should have the right to sell their homes to whomever they want and for whatever reason. I believe in neighborhood schools and individual freedom as concerns business and/or social interactions. If that mean voluntary segregation, then no problem far as I am concerned (voluntary being the operative term here).

But with that said, it sure does give me some gleeful ammo against certain northern and west coast types who are still stuck with the notion that the South (i.e. in this case defined as the states which had de jure "Jim Crow" laws on the books) is a horrid netherworld of racial segregation and injustice. To show that, in fact, Texas/South is -- as a general rule -- more integrated than parts of the country which like to tout their "progressive" attitudes, provides a nice little pin to pop some pompous and self-righteous "yankee" balloons in that realm.

*afterthought* Of course, in many ways, this shouldn't be surprising at all. The biggest difference in de-jure segregation in the South and de-facto in the North/Far West, was that we were just less hypocritical about it.

Once change actually DID come about, we adapted to it much easier and with more acceptance than elsewhere. The reason really stands to reason. The Southern states had/have a much longer history of true racial interaction and population, even during Jim Crow days. It was a hard road, but still predictable -- as was proven -- for the South to become the most integrated in the country. And yes, according to public opinion polls, for both black and whites in the South to express the most optomism on race-relations. We were "together" the whole time, on many levels, impossible for certain types in other regions to understand. I am personally proud of that fact.

On the other hand, when the "Civil Rights" and "busing" came about elsewhere, there was nothing of historical/social experience that equipped them to deal with it. So long as they could believe/delude themselves into beleiving, it was a "Southern problem", then they could righteously point fingers and support ever federal intervention measure conjured up. When it came to their own backyards? Uh oh. Not such a great idea.

In many ways, obviously, it still remains that way!

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by TXTwizter

What I find interesting is areas that are mostly "white" seem more integrated than areas that are predominately hispanic or black. Wonder what thats all about?

Zip Code 76708, Census Track 9

Haha, that's my area.

Whether you agree or not; blacks will move into white areas before whites move into minority majority areas.

[Spade]

Actually, I think the west coast is pretty integrated along with the South. It's not as segregated as the midwest and northeast.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

LA isnt that segregated. Its places like Chicago and Detroit along with the Northeastern cities that are super segregated.

[QweffL]

Originally Posted by Spade

Actually, I think the west coast is pretty integrated along with the South. It's not as segregated as the midwest and northeast.

Uhh... based on this map I wouldn't call South integrated at all. I mean just look at Atlanta, Montgomery, Columbus, Memphis, Birmingham, Jackson, Mobile and New Orleans. Every one of these cities is split in half by green and blue dots. Houston is rather the exception than standard case.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by QweffL

Uhh... based on this map I wouldn't call South integrated at all. I mean just look at Atlanta, Montgomery, Columbus, Memphis, Birmingham, Jackson, Mobile and New Orleans. Every one of these cities is split in half by green and blue dots. Houston is rather the exception than standard case.

Ouch. Just went to a few of those cities you named and you are right. Especially Birmingham and Jackson.

[blkgiraffe]

The Texas cities looked more integrated than the rest of the south.