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We have called Chicago the most segregated big city in America. But what are the least segregated big cities? Watch this video to find out.
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0:00
In a country long marked by racial
0:01
division, especially in housing and
0:04
urban planning, a quiet transformation
0:06
is underway. While many major cities
0:08
still wrestle with the legacy of
0:10
redlinining and inclusionary zoning,
0:12
some places are making progress towards
0:14
integration. Among these are a few
0:16
standout cities where racial lines blur
0:19
more freely and where black communities
0:21
are growing within inclusive multithnic
0:24
urban fabrics. We recently did a video
0:26
why Chicago is the most segregated big
0:28
city in America. And today we will look
0:31
at the five biggest cities with fairly
0:34
low segregation index. Hi, my name is
0:36
Jared and I talk about, as you guys
0:38
know, interesting stories and trends in
0:40
black culture because black culture is
0:42
so interesting to me and it should be
0:44
that interesting to you. If you share my
0:47
interest, hit that subscribe button and
0:48
let's deep dive into some interesting
0:50
black culture and history in every
0:52
episode. There are a couple things we
0:54
look at to qualify these big cities. For
0:56
one, they had to be considered big
0:58
cities and not a tiny town somewhere off
1:00
the beaten path. Two, the black
1:02
population there had to be at least 13%
1:04
to match the national number. And
1:06
lastly, the segregation index had to be
1:08
lower than 50%. As a reference,
1:10
according to the 2020 census, Chicago's
1:13
segregation index is right around 80.
1:15
That means that about 80% of black
1:17
residents would need to relocate to
1:19
different neighborhoods to achieve an
1:21
even distribution with white residents
1:24
across the city. And as we talked about
1:26
many, many times before, the problem
1:28
with segregation is not that black
1:29
people are not living next door to white
1:32
people. Problem is where white people
1:33
live is mostly where their resources and
1:36
opportunities are in comparison to where
1:38
black people live. You might think that
1:40
segregation is a problem of the past and
1:42
all neighborhoods are pretty much equal
1:44
now. But no, segregation is a problem of
1:46
the past and present. So, let's get to
1:48
the list of our cities. Starting in what
1:51
some people argue is the South and
1:53
others say is the Midwest. Oklahoma
1:55
City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma City has
1:57
quietly emerged as a leader in urban
1:59
integration, particularly when compared
2:02
to deeply segregated cities like Chicago
2:04
and Milwaukee. It has avoided some of
2:06
the stark racial divides that plague
2:08
older metropolitan areas, partly due to
2:11
its newer urban development and sparring
2:13
geography. Historically, Oklahoma's
2:15
black population surged around the Civil
2:18
War as many African-Americans migrated
2:20
to what was then Indian territory in
2:23
hopes of land ownership and safety.
2:25
Towns like Bowley and Langston,
2:27
historically black towns, are testaments
2:29
to this migration. In more recent
2:31
decades, Oklahoma City's moderate
2:33
housing costs, expanding economy, and
2:36
decentralized urban layout has fostered
2:39
more mixed neighborhoods. New
2:40
developments often featured more
2:42
inclusive zoning practices, and
2:44
community organizations have advocated
2:46
for racial equality in schooling and
2:49
infrastructure investment. Today,
2:51
Oklahoma City's black middle class is
2:53
growing with many families moving into
2:55
integrated neighborhoods in the
2:57
northwest and southern parts of the
2:58
city. The black population in Oklahoma
3:01
City is 13.8%
3:03
and the segregation index here is under
3:05
50, which is considered low. Side note,
3:08
can one of you guys answer in the
3:09
comments, is Oklahoma in the South or
3:12
the Midwest? I always thought it was in
3:14
the South, at least culturally, but I
3:16
get comments correcting me all the time.
3:18
So, if you guys could clear this up,
3:20
that would be great. At number two, we
3:22
have Long Beach, California. Long Beach,
3:24
a coastal city in the Los Angeles metro
3:26
area, is a striking example of how
3:28
diversity and integration can coexist.
3:31
The city has long been a melting pot
3:33
with substantial black, Latino,
3:35
Cambodian, and white communities living
3:38
in relatively close proximity. The roots
3:40
of Long Beach's black community date
3:42
back to World War II when many
3:44
African-Americans move west for
3:46
defensive jobs. Unlike in Los Angeles,
3:48
Long Beach never developed massive
3:50
segregated enclaves. Instead, its
3:52
neighborhoods remain smaller and more
3:54
fluid, aided by the port city's
3:56
transient labor economy. One key factor
3:58
in Long Beach's integration is the civil
4:01
focus on inclusive housing policies. The
4:04
city has actively invested in mixed
4:06
income housing, anti-displacement
4:08
programs, and culturally responsive
4:10
education. Moreover, local leadership,
4:12
often representative of the city's
4:14
diversity, has prioritized equity in
4:17
policy, education, and public health.
4:19
Neighborhoods like Bixsby, Nolles,
4:21
Central Long Beach, and North Wrigley
4:23
show how racial lines have blurred with
4:26
multithnic businesses, schools, and
4:28
housing developments coexisting. Long
4:30
Beach is currently 13% black and the
4:33
segregation index is estimated to be
4:35
below 45. Compare that to LA's index of
4:38
74. At number three, we have Las Vegas,
4:40
Nevada. Las Vegas is not just a
4:42
playground for tourists. It's also a
4:44
city of transplants, many of whom bring
4:47
fewer entrenched attitudes about race
4:49
and class. That combined with rapid
4:51
urban expansion, has made Las Vegas one
4:54
of the most integrated cities in
4:55
America. The black population in Las
4:58
Vegas grew significantly during the
5:00
1990s and 2000s. Driven by job
5:02
opportunities and hospitality,
5:04
construction, and the service sector.
5:06
While discrimination in housing once
5:08
kept black families concentrated in West
5:10
Las Vegas, these barriers begin to break
5:12
down in the 1990s with increased home
5:15
ownership opportunities and police
5:17
reform. Las Vegas's growth oriented
5:19
economy allowed for expansive housing
5:22
developments that didn't follow
5:23
historical patterns of redlinining.
5:26
School integration has also improved
5:28
with magnet and charter schools often
5:30
drawing diverse student bodies. The Las
5:32
Vegas metro area is almost 13% black and
5:35
the segregation index here is 37, which
5:38
is the lowest on this list. At number
5:40
four, we have Charleston, North
5:41
Charleston Somerville, a South Carolina
5:44
metro area. Charleston's history is
5:46
deeply intertwined with America's racial
5:48
story. Once a major port in the
5:50
transatlantic slave trade, the city
5:52
still bears the architectural and
5:54
cultural marks of its antibbellum past.
5:57
Yet, in recent decades, Charleston and
5:59
its suburbs have seen a shift towards
6:02
more integrated living. Historically,
6:04
black Charlestonians were relegated to
6:06
segregated neighborhoods or rural areas,
6:08
but urban revitalization in the spread
6:11
of suburban development have changed
6:13
these dynamics. The North Charleston and
6:16
Somerville areas have become especially
6:18
integrated, offering affordable housing,
6:21
quality schools, and mixeduse
6:22
developments. Local leadership has
6:24
focused on racial reconciliation through
6:27
investment in blackowned businesses,
6:29
public memorials like the International
6:31
African-American Museum, and community
6:34
dialogue. While gentrification remains a
6:37
concern in downtown Charleston, many
6:39
black families are finding new
6:40
opportunities in suburban neighborhoods.
6:43
Community organizations such as the
6:45
Charleston Area Justice Ministry
6:47
advocate for equitable housing and
6:49
policing policies, helping to bridge
6:51
racial divides and create pathways for
6:54
integrated growth. The Charleston metro
6:56
area is 26% black with a segregation
6:59
index of 41.5. At number five, we have
7:02
Rally Kerry, North Carolina metro area.
7:05
The research triangle comprising Rally,
7:08
Durham, and Chapel Hill has long been a
7:11
hub for innovation and education. Rally,
7:14
in particular, has become a model for
7:16
managed growth and integration. A robust
7:19
tech economy anchored by companies like
7:22
IBM and Cisco has drawn professionals of
7:25
all races, contributing to an educated
7:27
and diverse populace. Rallyy's black
7:30
community has deep roots, especially
7:32
around historic black colleges like Shaw
7:34
University and St. Augustine's. In the
7:37
midentth century, Rally was home to the
7:39
important civil rights efforts, and it
7:41
legacy of black civil leadership
7:43
continues today. Affordable housing
7:45
initiatives, inclusive school zoning,
7:47
and anti-discrimination ordinances have
7:50
helped foster integration. Neighborhoods
7:52
like Southeast Raleigh have seen
7:54
demographic diversification without the
7:57
displacement that often accompanies
7:59
gentrification. Public transportation
8:01
improvements and investment in mixeduse
8:03
development have also contributed to
8:05
breaking down geographic barriers.
8:07
Rally's emphasis on education,
8:09
innovation, and inclusivity have created
8:12
a city where racial integration is
8:14
definitely possible. The black
8:16
population here is 20% with a
8:18
segregation index of 42. These five
8:21
cities each offer unique lessons in what
8:24
urban integration can look like. None
8:26
are perfect and all still face
8:28
challenges related to equity, education,
8:30
and wealth disparity. However, they
8:32
prove that segregation is not
8:34
inevitable. Several common threads unite
8:36
them. These cities grew rapidly in the
8:38
latter half of the 20th century,
8:40
avoiding some of the entrenched
8:42
segregation found in older northern
8:44
metros. Decentralized development sprawl
8:46
and suburbanation, often critiqued for
8:49
environmental reasons, have ironically
8:51
contributed to integration by diffusing
8:54
populations across new housing
8:56
development. Diverse economies, a
8:58
stronger labor market in industrials
9:00
like tech, hospitality, and logistics
9:03
has attracted multi-racial populations.
9:05
Cities that proactively pursued
9:08
inclusive zoning, equitable education,
9:10
and anti-discrimination policies saw
9:13
more integrated outcomes. As Americans
9:16
continue to grapple with the legacy of
9:17
systematic racism, these cities light a
9:20
possible path forward through
9:22
intentional planning, community
9:23
engagement, and inclusive policym. They
9:26
show that integration isn't just ideal,
9:29
it's a live reality for many. So, let me
9:32
know your thoughts on these cities. Do
9:33
you live in any of them? What's been
9:35
your experience? As always, let's start
9:37
a dialogue. You know that I'll be
9:39
reading your comments and responding.
9:40
See you guys on the next one.
#Social Issues & Advocacy
#Discrimination & Identity Relations