Is Texas a good place to move for African-Americans? (Houston: house, private schools)

[Deneeg]

I really need help with deciding what city in Texas is best for me and my family to move to. I'm from a mid size city in california where the weather is hot and the economy is moderate. There is absolutely no culture and very little diversity for African-Americans where I live. I'm a nurse and my husband works in law enforcement. We have 4 teenage children, two of which will probably stay in California. My youngest is 12 and has a desire to attend a historically black college. My middle son plays football and would like to continue doing so if we move to Texas. I'm really torn between, Austin, Dallas, and Houston. I would like to live in a city that is racially and ethically diverse, safe enough for my daughter and I to walk down the street, and economically sound enough, to where finding a job won't be an issue for myself or my husband. I would love to get insight from those of you who can give me an honest unbiased opinion.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

You would be fine in any of those. The economies are good in all three, you can find diversity in all three, and the cost of living is comperable. Give all three a visit and the answer will come to you.

The only historically black colleges I know are Paul Quinn in Dallas and Prarie View A&M outside Houston.

[Bo]

City-Data has the info you need on diversity in those 3 cities.

Races in Austin: [LEFT]

• White Non-Hispanic (52.9%)
• Hispanic (30.5%)
• Other race (16.2%)
• Black (10.0%)
• Two or more races (3.0%)
• Chinese (1.2%)
• Asian Indian (1.2%)
• American Indian (1.1%)
• Vietnamese (0.9%)
• Korean (0.5%)

[/LEFT]

Read more: //www.city-data.com/city/Austin...#ixzz0lUmhyF9g

[LEFT]Races in Houston:[/LEFT]
[LEFT]

• Hispanic (37.4%)
• White Non-Hispanic (30.8%)
• Black (25.3%)
• Other race (16.5%)
• Two or more races (3.1%)
• Vietnamese (1.7%)
• Chinese (1.2%)
• Asian Indian (1.0%)
• American Indian (0.8%)
• Other Asian (0.6%)

[/LEFT]

Read more: //www.city-data.com/city/Housto...#ixzz0lUmvvdlg

[LEFT]Races in Dallas:[/LEFT]
[LEFT]

• Hispanic (35.6%)
• White Non-Hispanic (34.6%)
• Black (25.9%)
• Other race (17.2%)
• Two or more races (2.7%)
• American Indian (1.0%)
• Asian Indian (0.6%)
• Vietnamese (0.6%)

[/LEFT]

Read more: //www.city-data.com/city/Dallas...#ixzz0lUn3IBTK

[DanielWayne]

Cities in Texas are pretty diverse. Texas Southern is another HBCU in Texas. There are multiple private schools in Tx that are HBCUs, but offhand I can't recall the names. Also Southern and Grambling regularly schedule matchups in Houston for their Tx alumni to watch. If your son likes football, then you are definitely considering the right state. You may be surprised at the size house you can get in Tx.

[Spookmeister]

Austin and suburbs will do for you based on assumed similar size of city, opportunities in law enforcement and nursing, and the all important football fanaticism your boys will share with the citizens of central TX. Huston-Tillotson University is right in the heart of the city for the one that wants to attend a historically black college.
Racial and ethnic diversity is a relative given, culture not too shabby, though you may tire of it soon enough.
Nothing bad to say about the other choices if you decide otherwise.

[sweethearttx]

I did research on this. Dallas has the largest African-American population of the major cities in Texas. Houston is not far off. I would say you would be ok in any of the larger cities except Austin. They have a fairly small African-American population in comparison.

[SouthmoreAve]

It really is between Dallas or Houston.

DFW has 2 historically black colleges, but both are small, 1 is in Dallas(Paul Quinn), another in Terrell(Southwester Christian)

Greater Houston has 2 historically black colleges, and both are large. So your 12 year old would probably either attend Prarie View A&M, which is in Prarie View and has over 8,600 students.
Or Texas Southern University, located actually in Houston. Its one of the largest and most comprehensive HBCUs in the nation with over 11,500 students. That is if he or she stays in TX for education at an HBCU.

[Mom2Feebs]

Do people really ask this question in other states? It's so funny, when I see this question asked I think, wow, where have you lived before that it was bad enough that you now have to ask? Sad! You'll do great in any of those cities!

[AlGreen]

Originally Posted by Deneeg

I really need help with deciding what city in Texas is best for me and my family to move to. I'm from a mid size city in california where the weather is hot and the economy is moderate. There is absolutely no culture and very little diversity for African-Americans where I live. I'm a nurse and my husband works in law enforcement. We have 4 teenage children, two of which will probably stay in California. My youngest is 12 and has a desire to attend a historically black college. My middle son plays football and would like to continue doing so if we move to Texas. I'm really torn between, Austin, Dallas, and Houston. I would like to live in a city that is racially and ethically diverse, safe enough for my daughter and I to walk down the street, and economically sound enough, to where finding a job won't be an issue for myself or my husband. I would love to get insight from those of you who can give me an honest unbiased opinion.

dallas, houston, and austin are all nice cities in their own right, but if having a great amount of black culture is important to you, then you'll want to stick with the first two. both dallas and houston have large black populations, so culture is something you certainly won't be lacking

HBCU's (that i can think of right now):
texas southern university (houston)
prairie view a&m (northwest of houston)
paul quin college (dallas)
texas college (tyler)
wiley college (marshall)...there's also hutson-tillotson in austin, and st. phillips in san antone. but i don't think these schools are even predominately black anymore. (and to this day it still puzzles me how houston has two major black schools and dallas doesn't have even one)

so i guess that choosing between houston and dallas would all be based on what specifics you're looking for because both cities are pretty much the same for blacks

oh and by the way, i noticed that you mentioned your current city being "hot". well just be aware that in moving to texas, HEAT is something you'll definitely have to deal with

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by AlGreen

dallas, houston, and austin are all nice cities in their own right, but if having a great amount of black culture is important to you, then you'll want to stick with the first two. both dallas and houston have large black populations, so culture is something you certainly won't be lacking

HBCU's (that i can think of right now):
texas southern university (houston)
prairie view a&m (northwest of houston)
paul quin college (dallas)
texas college (tyler)
wiley college (marshall)...there's also hutson-tillotson in austin, and st. phillips in san antone. but i don't think these schools are even predominately black anymore. (and to this day it still puzzles me how houston has two major black schools and dallas doesn't have even one)

so i guess that choosing between houston and dallas would all be based on what specifics you're looking for because both cities are pretty much the same for blacks

oh and by the way, i noticed that you mentioned your current city being "hot". well just be aware that in moving to texas, HEAT is something you'll definitely have to deal with

Huston-Tillotson is still majority black; St Phillps College is majority hispanic and white.