When I was a child in the sixties and seventies Washington, DC was 87% Black. Now Whites have rediscovered the city from which they once flew. Their mere presence has for some reason raised the property values, forcing many long term African-American residents out of their homes because of higher taxes. The Whites also do not like Black music and have used their growing political clout to close down many culturally significant businesses which once kept the city alive.

Has this become a pattern for many cities? Should we mobilize to
preserve the culture of the city or should we face the revolution of establishing a new cultural structure in the suburbs?

When I was a child in the sixties and seventies Washington, DC was 87% Black. Now Whites have rediscovered the city from which they once flew. Their mere presence has for some reason raised the property values, forcing many long term African-American residents out of their homes because of higher taxes. The Whites also do not like Black music and have used their growing political clout to close down many culturally significant businesses which once kept the city alive.

Has this become a pattern for many cities? Should we mobilize to
preserve the culture of the city or should we face the revolution of establishing a new cultural structure in the suburbs?


uummn, White folk love Black music; it is what keeps this country turning...and so does Black American culture. What businesses have they closed? DC is still more than 60% Black...you have the clout!
As for gentrification and thusly marginalization....I think that you all should mobilize. Progressive Blacks all over the country have combined resources and bought apartment buildings and houses that other Blacks did not appreciate enough to keep up. In DC many Blacks are paid well, utilize your resources!

So, yes, please mobilize. How? First, you have to decide if you want what you have. This is exactly what I am doing. I am looking at all the areas that surround where I live and where I live. All together I think that about 80% is in good shape, good community etc...so what do we do--keep Ours for Us.
Luckily, We are able to offset some of what is happening because Blacks are continually moving in; and from the looks of it they want something in life; homes that were unkempt by some whites and some Blacks look so nice now.

Plus, many of the areas where whites ran to are isolated; many of them all over the country can no longer be insured (as is the case here); because of flooding etc... even in the outskirts of D.C. there are areas where every year they have problems after all the snow; they have to continually repair... the sad side of this equation is many Blacks have not caught on, and are buying those homes and forgetting about "home." Plus, We have always made where ever we were "the pulse."

Good Luck. That guy who used to be with the nation has started some organization bent on doing these very things; I forget the brothers name.