A Changing D.C.
The black “stronghold” in the DC area is basically in PG county now, but more blacks are also moving to Virginia as well…
The District of Columbia’s longtime status as a majority-black city appears to be diminishing, even as Maryland and Virginia continue to experience a dramatic rise in their minority populations, according to census estimates released today.
The 14 percent increase in non-Hispanic white District residents and 6 percent decrease in blacks from 2000 to 2006 are probably the result of the gentrification of once-affordable city neighborhoods, demographers said.
The impact on the city’s racial makeup is noticeable. In 2000, blacks made up 60 percent of the District’s population. By 2006, that figure was 55 percent.
If the trends continue, the city will almost certainly cease to be majority black by 2020, said Robert E. Lang, director of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech. “It will wind up more like a Los Angeles or a New York, with no clear majority.”
[...]
From 2000 to 2006, the number of non-Hispanic black residents in the District declined to 322,000, the number of non-Hispanic whites rose to about 184,000 and the number of Asians increased to 18,000, a 20 percent gain.
“What you see are whites moving into the city because they are able to afford the pricey housing in all these areas that are gentrifying and becoming much more middle and upper-middle class,” said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. “Meanwhile, the city is becoming more unaffordable to lower-income black families.”
Although the data are too general for definitive conclusions, Frey said it is likely that many black and Hispanic families are moving to Washington suburbs.
Ironically, Lang said, many majority-white cities in the country will become more multiracial and multi-ethnic because of the higher rates of growth in their minority populations compared with those of whites.
The trend is evident in Maryland: From 2000 to 2006, the state’s Hispanic population grew by 48 percent, the Asian population by 28 percent and the non-Hispanic black population by 10 percent. The non-Hispanic white population declined by 1 percent.
Similarly, in Virginia, the non-Hispanic white population increased by 4 percent, compared with 46 percent for Hispanics, 36 percent for Asians and 8 percent for non-Hispanic blacks.
Because the white populations of both states were so large to begin with, whites remain a sizable majority. And only four states — Hawaii, New Mexico, California and Texas — are majority-minority. In theory, Lang said, the entire country could reach that status by 2040.
But Lang questions whether the term “minority” will be defined the same way by then. Nearly 2 percent of the population is identified as multiracial, he noted. And that percentage is likely to rise with intermarriage among races and ethnic groups. The notion of what is “white” is also likely to shift as it has since the 1900s, when Southern and Eastern Europeans were not counted as white.
I still think that it is not so much the notion of what is “white” but what is “NOT black” that will be important in the future.
Filed under: Changing World
The big trend here is not the Latino trend, because this is happening in cities like St. Louis as well with virtually no Latin population. Blakc popualtion loss in cities and white gains is being caused by two streams int he black and white communttites;
in the black community- a negative image of the inner-city based on experience and the desire to go to suburbia which creates black suburbs like you see in PG County or a place like North St. Louis County. Then couple this with the fact that slumlords and public hosing programs, the two renters to black slum dwellers, are going out to the black suburbs as black suburbia becomes ghettoized due to cultural and economic factors.
in the white community- there is a new urbansim and a desire for many whites who are young, artsy, secular, educated or single, to live in the city. They put a high value on living in the urban core and are willing to pay for it, and can pay more then black slum-dwellers, so communities become gentrified. A young white urbanist studies the architecture of a house in Bed-Stuy and is willing to pay top dollar for something based on that and the pedestrian nature of the neighborhood, the black family who owns thinks they live in the hood and are ready to get the hell out. Across America these urban whites are creating lifestyle centers in cities that run counter to the mainstream culture in white suburbia and they are pushing blacks and Latinos into slum suburbia in many cases.
Developers are the ones pushing blacks out of the cities and into the inner suburbs by tearing down affordable housing and redeveloping upscale housing
You’re right Umar, re: “black suburbia becomes ghettoized due to cultural and economic factors.” I moved down here approximately ten years and have sadly watch PG county change for the worse. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a beautiful place to live, and the majority of the county is still quiet.
There was a report earlier this year which stated the suburban poor outnumbers the urban poor. This definately ties into gentrification and a lack of affordable housing (workforce housing in some circle_.
As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum,
Can you blame a black person for wanting to get out of ‘the hood’ if it means his children are faced with the kinds of things going on there? On the other hand, why aren’t blacks who are making money and can just as well can invest in those old brownstones or row houses unwilling to pay top-dollar to refurbish them and stay in the inner city? I’m sure plenty of them would like a quick trip on the Metro or a walk to work too. There’s something else going on there that you are missing.
As far as the people from the hood going out to PG and dragging certain negative things with them, it just goes to prove that a physical move does not always equate with a psychological or sociological one.
Finally, what is an African-American Muslim to do who definitely does not want to live in the ‘hood’ and makes enough money to live in the ‘burbs’ do? They are damned for ‘abandoning’ the neighborhood and ‘unwelcome neighbors’ to the ‘boojies’ (that’s bour·geoi·sie to you youngsters - it used to be a ‘put down’
in the burbs. Quite frankly the Muslim wants neither to be cast according to his race and relegated to some idea of what that means according to others nor does he fully embrace the superficial material values of those who may live in the suburbs but is more likely just seeking peace and security.
Abu Abdillah,
PG County is predominately a black county. Wealthy and educated blacks (doctors, lawyers, educator, businessmen and women…
have been living in PG county for decades, which is why I can’t understand how SOME immigrant Muslims CLAIM to have never encountered civilized, educated blacks who don’t fit into the negative stereotypes portrayed in the media. I supposed I should start giving these folks subscriptions to Black Enterprise so they can see the other side of black America, including some who have physically and mentally made it out of the hood.
I can’t stand boojie blacks because they think they are better than everyone else, especially those with “old money.” I come from a family of uppity blacks, the funny thing is mom claims dad’s side is more snotty, conceited, and uppity than hers. Frankly I can’t tell which is worse. This is what makes me the black sheep in my family, not being a Muslim but being done to earth.
The problem is folks from the hood are coming, mostly to the border neighborhood and bring their ignorant mentality with them. Even before DC began its revitalization, the bordering towns had more crime, possibly because of criminals crossing over and committing crimes then going back into DC. It got so bad at one point there were talks of building WALLS along the PG county and DC border to keep the elements out.
As a black who wasn’t raised in the hood I can tell you we still had our share of problems, which was mostly racism, sometimes blatant, but mostly concealed. The good thing is we never had an opportunity to embrace the term “nigger,” because whites had no problems reminding us that that’s what THEY THOUGHT we were.. Also, some our teachers didn’t expect us to be high achievers or asked why we are different from the rest of blacks. You know if something turned up missing, we were the first to be blamed though many of our parents earned 3 times as much as the teachers.
During my four years of high school, the brothers got our ass kicked by the white boys (because they were outnumbered) on the last day school each year w/out fail. Who got arrested? That’s right the black boys. This also gave me a glimpse into the real white America, where I learned they have teenage pregnancy issues, where many end up in abortion or adoption. Very few of the girls kept their babies. I also saw the drug use and promiscuity of white youth, including white on white violence via the burnouts, skinheads, preps and jocks – don’t mess with jock or burnout. The point is they have the some of the same issues in the suburbs as they do in the hood – drugs and teen pregnancies. And yes, everything, including the high rate of suicide was blamed on heavy metal music.
Years ago, I was one of a handful of students to a receive a100, ( 99 another year) on the regents exams. Back in the day earning a Regents Diploma was different than earning a local diploma, as the regents was considered more prestigious because our classes were more advanced and included some college level work.
The other problem – some of suffered self hatred and hated blacks because of the things we were feed by the media (despite our families and upbringing showing us otherwise).
Perhaps this might shed some light on what is going on in DC:
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/11000.html
This is happening all over the country, and did in Chicago also, where I am from. It is a sad testament to gentrification and the greed of developers, not to mention the collusion of the white political power base.
Arhtur C. Clarke, I think, wrote a Sci-Fi book about a distant future where the resluts of eons of mixed marraiges were that the entire population was golden colored, like a Hawaiian. That might be a godo thing in the long run, but people will always find prejudices to make themselves gfeel superior, ifnot skin color, than other things. Human nature produces pattern think of a hiararchal nature, unfortunately.
I would agree only adding that in America, Blackness is defined in the very way in which it is not white. Anyone who disagrees, just examine the way traditional non-white/ethnic groups view or have historically viewed Blacks as they move/moved on their way to Whiteness.
I live in PG, and I love my hoodfabulous county. I live in Landover, and have lived in Cheverly, Largo, Mitchellville, Bladensburg and DC. The biggest problem I see is the lack of attention being paid to our teenage population. The children of the hood are not being served or uplifted. People say it’s the parents’ fault and responsibility to raise them. But once parents abdicate their responsibility, the community and school system must step in. Until that happens, PG will continue to breed ignorance and crime, thus making a laughingstock of the “black elite” that think their zipcodes convey status. These children will fill our jails and blood will continue to run in our streets while the aforementioned elite wring their hands and try to find ways to warehouse or get rid of them.
Most of PG’s “black elite” are not elite, they just bought early and have high credit limits (not scores necessarily). Most of them couldn’t afford to buy in the county today, but they still have the audacity to complain about “hood people” and property values. Excuse me, I must vomit.
As for the developers, it’s not a white or black thing. We (poor people) aren’t worth much to anyone other than the people who love us. Why should we expect anyone of any race to consider us or try to help us? They want me and mine out and no, they do not care where we go.
PG went downhill when the trash (hoodrats) from SE was flushed out of the district - got dayum gentrification!
Yes it’s the parent’s responsibility to uplift and raise the children they have produced. Why should I, as a law abiding citizen, have to teach some ranDUMB child manners, self respect and control? We (parents) are our children’s first teachers. They have positive role models all around, so what is the excuse for their ill conduct? Hmmm… self sabatoge? I’m black, therefore all I can be is a baby mamma? daddy? Shake what my mamma gave me? Rob the next man because he decided he wanted to make something of himself and buy himself nice things with the money he earned LEGALLY!? The only way to get rid of the hoodrats is either find a way to motivate them and instill self esteem. Sterilze ‘em? Should trash be allowed to reproduce given so few are breaking the shackles of poverty and ridding themselves of the hood mentality? These people suffer from lack of self - esteem and there is no need to get into the lack of their roots.
A lot of PG county IS the old SE DC now. We’ve got to live with the changes and try to help people instead of complaining and calling them “trash” and “hoodrats”. They are our neighbors now.
Yes a lot of people know no other way but to rob others, but we have to make a change