Thursday, June 22, 2017

A continuation: the decline of Black Chicago


The Capitol Fax today had a post excerpting from several articles regarding the exodus from Illinois. Of course often the focus on this blog is the exodus of Blacks from not only the city but from the state itself. So one of those articles is of focus for us. First let me share the link from CapFax.
And of course we look at the article from the Chicago Tribune which discusses further the exodus of Blacks from Chicago and Illinois:
Cook County in 2016 again recorded the largest black population of any county in the U.S., but it carries that title with less conviction than previous years as more African-Americans move to outlying suburbs or warmer states in the South and West, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Between 2015 and 2016, more than 12,000 black residents left Cook County, an increase from the previous year when about 9,000 residents left. The greater Chicago area, which for the census includes parts of Indiana and Wisconsin, has lost nearly 46,000 black residents since 2010. That exodus is larger than in any other metropolitan area in the country....
Some of those who left Chicago and Cook County relocated to other parts of the state, but Illinois still recorded a population drop of about 10,000 black residents between 2015 and 2016, more than any other state. Experts say it is an indication that the majority of the state's black flight is occurring in Chicago.

The black exodus is part of a larger pattern of general population decline in the region. Illinois dropped by 37,508 people in 2016, losing more residents than any other state, and Chicago was the only city among the country's 10 largest to drop in population. Between 2015 and 2016, the greater Chicago area lost 19,570 residents.

Dozens of former residents surveyed by the Tribune over the past year who've packed up cite a variety of reasons for leaving: high taxes, the state budget stalemate and the weather. But what's propelling black flight isn't quite the same as what's driving out the city's white population.

Africans-Americans are leaving in search of stability, experts say, hoping to find stable incomes and safe neighborhoods, something they feel Chicago isn't offering them. The city of Chicago lost 181,000 black residents between 2000 and 2010, according to census data.
Alright, it's very interesting that we still talk about the last decennial census which occurred in 2010. Because of that last census the ward maps were redrawn and at least for the period of time in which the remap occurred, many weren't happy that they could be drawn into a different ward with a different alderman. Either way we have a real situation Blacks are leaving Chicago or they're leaving this state. Perhaps they're going to Atlanta - which seems to be a trend anyway.

Corey Brooks pastor of Chicago's New Beginnings Church was quoted throughout this article and ends this article:
Brooks, the South Side pastor, says the consequences of so many black residents leaving each year is that these neighborhoods will deteriorate or lose their identities, and potentially succumb to gentrification.

"Unless we all come together as a community to try and resolve these issues ourselves, unless we build businesses and create jobs," he said, "we'll be left with communities ravished by crime, violence and a bad economy."
Yeah he discussed why there is a crime problem in Black communities. It's all economics, a shortage of jobs. Pastor Brook's direct quote: "It's not just gang violence retaliation," he said. "(Violence) is about economics. People can't eat. People can't sustain their families."

Again the question, what can we do to change the current situation? 

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