Segregated communities
The U.S. Census data released earlier this year included detailed information about the racial composition of neighborhoods. Remapping Debate has put together an interactive map that allows people to see how diverse (or not) particular neighborhoods are. From their site:
In the wake of Census 2010, media attention has focused on the slow trend towards less segregation for African-Americans that has continued in the last 10 years. But demographic experts agree that segregation in the United States is still alive and well. And Remapping Debate’s new maps provide vivid proof that a substantial increase in diversity in the nation overall is not mirrored by the demographics of the segregated neighborhoods in which most Americans live.
Here is the map for Roanoke. As anyone who lives around here probably suspected, there blacks make up more than half of the population in northwest and are less represented in the remainder of the city.
Note, the color scheme on the map is a little strange. Click on it for a sharper image and a key, but basically, black areas are more than 50 percent black. White areas are mixed (3-49 percent black). Then the darker the pink-red areas, the fewer black residents.
Visit their interactive map to explore other communities and to look at the distribution of Hispanic neighborhoods as well.
Update (4.23 – 9:00) — The original post misidentified northwest Roanoke.
April 22, 2011 - 2:29 PM
Generally, people of all races prefer to live among “their own kind.” There are exceptions of course. It is not good or bad, it is what it is.
You know, I found it rather absurd at the time, but a friend of mine who lived over in Craig County for a while had told me that there were fewer than 5 black residents in the County. Then when I looked at the datam sure enough, there were only 5 black residents. I honestly thought he was joking, I guess his experience as a local EMT prived to be quite accurate after all.
“Generally, people of all races prefer to live among “their own kind.” There are exceptions of course. It is not good or bad, it is what it is”
Absolutely right!
I disagree that it “is not good or bad“. It is bad. It means we still not only see differences, we prefer not to have them around. We think it is progress when no one can be “barred” from living anywhere, but what about when they choose to be, or worse, feel unwelcome? This cannot all be merely by chance. I cannot help it, I think it is bad and sad that after all the struggle, sacrifice and effort, we still “self segregate”.
BTW, it is apparent “my own kind” is going extinct.
I grew up in an ethnically mixed part of the state, with more than half of my high school being minority ethnic groups of a large variety. I found the experience to be quite enjoyable and educational, as I got to learn a lot about different cultures, traditions, and customs…and a lot of great food.
When I was a student at VT, i chose to live in the international dorm on campus, and none of my 3 roommates were from the states. One was a Muslim from Sudan, one was a Hindu from Trinidad, and one was a former Roman Catholic studying Paganism who hailed from Panama. The rest of the dorm was just as diverse, and it proved an enlightening 2 years on campus.
And even now, we lived in a racially-mixed community. The census data doesn’t do it quite the justice it deserves since our census block divides our community into 2 areas and combines mine with another community with less diversity. I thoroughly love my community and our neighbors, it’s the best, friendliest group of hard-working people I could hope to live near, and it’s nice because around here, everyone has each others back.
I suspect this has less to do with race than it does with income level. Overlay THAT data.
Also, what the post describes as “northeast” actually appears to be “northwest” – although as a non-Roanoker I admit I don’t know if “Old Southwest” is actually in southeast Roanoke.
If you’ve ever driven to Craig County via 311 in the past few years, you only had to look to your right as you crossed the county line to see a huge Confederate flag waving in the breeze. I think that sent a pretty clear message to blacks who might want to live there. This one land owner may not represent the feelings of everyone in Craig County, but nobody stopped him from acting as an unofficial chamber of commerce.
Poor blacks probably do live in inner Northwest because that’s where the inexpensive houseing is, just as many poor whites live in SE for the same reason. My middle class black friends tell me they stay in the historically black neighborhoods because it’s home – Mom lives around the corner, sister lives down the street, their chuch is nearby. Others tell me that they would not live in my lily-white neighborhood if they were given a free house. They prefer newer, mixed neighborhoods where they know for sure that they are welcome.
5… what exactly is your “own kind?”
8..”Others tell me that they would not live in my lily-white neighborhood if they were given a free house.”
Wonder what they’d say if someone told them they wouldn’t live in their coal black neighborhood if someone gave them a free house?
Anyway, it has very little to do with economics. You see self segregagtion in neighborhoods, school lunch rooms and workplace break rooms all the time. It is the way people are. Putting a liberal “diversity is wonderful and should be forced” spin on it doesn’t change things. And Molly, as for the flag waver in Craig county, if you are white, try moving into some black neighborhoods and watch what happens. There are bigoted idiots in all races, not just whites despite what liberals tell you.
My own kind are the people who have no problem saying “no, it is bad”, when the statement “It is not good or bad” is made.
11….so you think it is a good thing to force people to spend their free time with individuals or groups that they possibly would not prefer to be with? There are many folks who seek out friendships and reltionships with those from different ethnic groups. I have two and ahlf different races living in my own house. But the liberal way seems to be “let’s force everyone to be this way.” Now THAT is bad.
I have not used the word “force” and I have not implied the word “force”. I think it is bad that people choose to self-segregate. It is a failure and I cannot see it any other way.
In reading about Craig County having 5 blacks in it, and the Confederate flag waving reminded me of an experience, and a story that was told to my BF and I by a white man who lived just outside of New Castle a number of years ago. I am surprised that there are 5 blacks living there from what he told us.
He told us that Craig County pretty much has a “mission” to keep blacks from living there. He told us that the first black family to purchase a house in New Castle were literally ran out of towm…with constant harrassment, destruction of their property and threats to their lives…with nowhere to turn for help, no help from law enforcement or anyone else.
My BF (who is black) was an outside salesman at the time and I was with him when he stopped by this mans house….he started the conversation by telling us NOT to stop by his neighbor’s house, because his neighbor would have shot my BF, because he was black…no matter WHY he was there….and then he told us that story.
To be fair, before running into this customer, we did meet some very nice people around New Castle..and I am sure that not everyone in Craig Country, or New Castle feels this hate for blacks…and the man who told us about this incident did not agree with it….but, I think there are enough people in Craig County who want to make it difficult, if not impossible. for blacks to live there peacefully to give a possible explanation for why there are so few blacks in Craig County.