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Up until 1910, 90% of African Americans lived in the south. Then the Great Migration came when many African Americans moved north to find jobs and to escape southern segregation. By 1970, only 53% lived in the south. Now, a reverse migration is taking place. Large numbers of African Americans are returning to the south. Surveys show they are going back because the cost of living is less; they consider the quality of life better; and they like the weather. Yet recent transplants caution that life in the South may not be the panacea many expect. Some say those who think racism and prejudice have gone away are in for a shock!” A parallel to this reverse migration occurred in 539 B.C. That was when ancient Israel returned to their homeland after 70 years of exile in Babylon. They were going home to rebuild their country. It was an exciting time. Yet not everyone chose to go back. Many who chose to stay in Babylon made donations to assist those who went. The people who went back wanted to rebuild their country and their Temple. The building projects would give them a sense of identity and nationhood. Unity and cooperative teamwork are still key elements in accomplishing important tasks. That’s true for families, churches, and for communities.
Although some may return to the south, I can tell you from experience that the cost of living is NOT lower than elsewhere! Food and clothing cost the same. Housing APPEARS cheaper because of lower ticket price, but the reality is that SALARIES ARE MUCH LOWER when compared to others parts of the country. Many African-americans are “returning to the South” AFTER they have MADE THEIR MONEY ELSEWHERE, and SAVED UP FOR RETIREMENT.
But the money saved on heating and fuel oil costs will be spent on increased electricity, since most people depend upon air-conditioned cars, offices and homes at least nine or ten months per year. Some areas do have relatively harmonious inter-ethnic relations, but many
smaller towns cling to antebellum attitudes left over from the 1700’s. Any time you have high schools trying to hold “segregated proms”–and young students having to take the lead to “integrate the prom”–in the twenty-first century, you HAVE to wonder why if the “board of education” in that town is qualified to educate ANY student for today’s multicultural, multiethnic “global village” that characterizes American communities! Unless you have PLENTY OF RESERVE MONEY/CAPITAL already saved up, you are able to purchase a decent home outright and you can live near a MODERN metro area, your “quality of life” may not be what
you dreamed “down home” to be. Southerners can be VERY XENOPHOBIC toward those
who are from elsewhere, and that includes African-americans who didn’t come from down here”, as well as people of color from other countries. I attended two black graduate schools
“down south” in the early 1980’s, and I saw plenty of hostility and indifference targeted toward
myself and other Black students “from up north.” I saw these same attitudes directed toward
African and Afro-caribbean students and often had to explain to these bewildered folks
WHY the American Black students were so unfriendly toward foreign students. I hope that has changed in the 21st century….
Charity, please do not make Afro-Caribbeans victims of Black American unfriendliest as if non-Black Americans are so level headed,mature, friendly,etc. The majority I’ve come across are jealous, underhanded, hostile, and arrogant towards Black Americans as if Black Americans colonized them. My personal experiences have been more negative than positive with non-Black Americans.
Lavender—the xenophobia I describe was alive and well, and I experienced plenty of it from African-americans and Euro-americans. The foreign students typically were surprised ANYone was friendly with them–and that included Afro-caribbean and African students. Now, in today’s world, there are also foreign students who come here with rotten attitudes and a ton of IGNORANCE about African-americans–mostly due to the fact that our history and culture is not taught elsewhere, AND the pernicious influence of media stereotyping that depicts us as thugs, drug dealers, prostitutes and stupid ghetto “baby daddies” and obese “baby mommas.”
I don’t doubt your experiences, and you can trust the ones I had, as well….the Afro-caribbeans and Africans WERE “victims” on the campuses I attended. I saw less “white arrogance” because we had few Euro-american students on campus. However, once you got off campus
and went to OTHER areas of the state, you saw plenty of hostile Euro-americans who were just as XENOPHOBIC toward other non-southern whites as they were toward Black students.
Talking about Georgia, if over the past forty years black people had been united and if African American women had dated and married Afro-Caribbean and African men in large numbers and moved them and their families to the state, racist whites will be a minority in the state today and the racist scum Nathan Deal would not be the governor of the state today. And furthermore, not only would Troy Davis be alive and well today but would be walking the streets of Savannah as a free man!
Both sides of my parents were born in the South, and parents were part of the great migration of the 50’s back to the North. I’ve lived in the South for a few years in adulthood, and am planning on relocating back down South in a few years once I complete my undergrad degree to attend graduate school and work. For all the adjustments of living in the South, I am still going to relocate and start my life down there. Cost of living, weather, and a slower pace is more my style than the North. I’d rather a racist be upfront with not liking my skin color than a phony liberal pretending to view me as an equal. My former teacher spent retired i the South and she had no family down in the area. This was 9 years ago.
If you have the money saved up, and/or good job prospects–and the area you want to locate in
seems pleasant–go for it! But just beware that “southern hospitality” is often a MYTH, and don’t be surprised if you find that culturally, you are different from your southern neighbors and/or church members! Many things you might take for granted, having lived in other areas of the United States, you may not find in the South. Depending upon your living preference–metropolitan, suburban, small/medium town, rural–and what is near you (hospitals, parks, colleges/universities, shopping, public transportation), you may have to search to find your
“best fit.”