Milwaukee The most segregated city in America

www.wisn.com...

Segregation in the United States' largest metropolitan areas has declined only modestly since the beginning of the century, with Milwaukee topping the list of cities with the highest black-white segregation

I keep hearing this headline about Milwaukee, I think i've heard it at least five times this past week.

Many people think this is a bad thing. I'm not so sure. I'll give you an example.

When you go to Chicago's Chinatown, it is vibrant. The culture shines through restaurants, stores, architecture. It is actually considered a
tourist destination. Or little Italy, or Koreatown etc. I can give so many examples. Chinatown is self governed in a way. Whatever they are doing, it is successful. It has grown so much even over the last decade. It has grown even in a stale Illinois economy.

Somehow when we talk about black and white that is where it ends. My question is why? Is it because of crime? Is that the only reason?

We know that the black community has a rich culture. There is no reason that it can't be like my example of Chinatown.
I'm also not saying that people shouldn't mix or live with each other. Sure they can. I however think it is human nature to flock together most of the time. Just like i'm a country girl. I can't stand the city and I just prefer to mix with country folks. It doesn't mean it is wrong, it is just different.

a reply to: JAGStorm


On my way there today, anywhere you want me to visit that I shouldn't be visiting?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm


On my way there today, anywhere you want me to visit that I shouldn't be visiting?

You picked the perfect day, the first day in what seems like 8 months that it is going to be over 60!

If you get the chance visit a place called Blue's Egg.
It is a brunch place, it is seriously incredible. I don't recommend a lot of restaurants but this place is really great.
Do not judge any Wisconsin restaurants by their exterior.
It's a little shocking but most of the places here look like dumps, but once inside they are ok.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Be careful if driving in the area of Locust and 15th. I had to dodge bullets there (head down..drove faster), 2 summers ago.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Just don't venture south of Cherry Street - once you see the Post Office....its already too late

originally posted by: JAGStorm
I keep hearing this headline about Milwaukee, I think i've heard it at least five times this past week.

Many people think this is a bad thing. I'm not so sure. I'll give you an example.

When you go to Chicago's Chinatown, it is vibrant. The culture shines through restaurants, stores, architecture. It is actually considered a
tourist destination. Or little Italy, or Koreatown etc. I can give so many examples. Chinatown is self governed in a way. Whatever they are doing, it is successful. It has grown so much even over the last decade. It has grown even in a stale Illinois economy.

Somehow when we talk about black and white that is where it ends. My question is why? Is it because of crime? Is that the only reason?

Milwaukee is a nice town. Heading up a few weeks to spend the weekend. Wife and I enjoy going up for quick getaways from Chicago.

With that said, it is a very white city... hardly see black folks anywhere. Given I am black, you tend to notice when you are the "only ones."

A big part of it is cultural. Black people tend to self-segregate and largely do not take advantage of the amenities cities have to offer. I see this a lot as my wife and I enjoy museums and other cultural attractions and we rarely see other black families. The same when we go to trendy restaurants.

Chicago is much like Milwaukee in that the black community largely keeps to itself.

On the other hand, if you go to a city like Atlanta, you will see black people EVERYWHERE for the most part. The city is completely integrated. There are still areas of town that are black neighborhoods, but black people tend to live anywhere if they can afford it.

The black community has rich cultural history and things to share. The issue is that we also tend to have a lot of crime in our communities and I think it scares some people away. In addition, we also aren't as "welcoming" to outsiders either as we pretend to be...

originally posted by: DorianSoran
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Just don't venture south of Cherry Street - once you see the Post Office....its already too late

My coworkers always warned me about Capitol dr heading toward the lake. I didn't think it was that bad, but
I used to drive in North Chicago and the Southside of Chicago a few times, and some of those areas looked like war zones.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: JAGStorm
www.wisn.com...

Segregation in the United States' largest metropolitan areas has declined only modestly since the beginning of the century, with Milwaukee topping the list of cities with the highest black-white segregation

I keep hearing this headline about Milwaukee, I think i've heard it at least five times this past week.

Many people think this is a bad thing. I'm not so sure. I'll give you an example.

When you go to Chicago's Chinatown, it is vibrant. The culture shines through restaurants, stores, architecture. It is actually considered a
tourist destination. Or little Italy, or Koreatown etc. I can give so many examples. Chinatown is self governed in a way. Whatever they are doing, it is successful. It has grown so much even over the last decade. It has grown even in a stale Illinois economy.

Somehow when we talk about black and white that is where it ends. My question is why? Is it because of crime? Is that the only reason?

We know that the black community has a rich culture. There is no reason that it can't be like my example of Chinatown.
I'm also not saying that people shouldn't mix or live with each other. Sure they can. I however think it is human nature to flock together most of the time. Just like i'm a country girl. I can't stand the city and I just prefer to mix with country folks. It doesn't mean it is wrong, it is just different.

Milwaukee is a nice town. Heading up a few weeks to spend the weekend. Wife and I enjoy going up for quick getaways from Chicago.

With that said, it is a very white city... hardly see black folks anywhere. Given I am black, you tend to notice when you are the "only ones."
...

There's a strong Black culture and presence in Milwaukee. I visit the city several times @ year.

Visit some of the locations suggested here: www.visitmilwaukee.org...

a reply to: Edumakated

You know the weird thing about Milwaukee, people here have no reference. So they make it out to be
much worse than it really is.

They complain about traffic, traffic is a dream here compared to Chicago or Seattle or Atlanta.
They complain about taxes.. well you know Illinois taxes
They complain about crime, compared to Chicago it is very low. I find the crime here is a lot of shoplifting and drug related crime. Some murders, but nothing like Chicago.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
You picked the perfect day, the first day in what seems like 8 months that it is going to be over 60!

I didn't realize it got that warm up there, ever.

If you get the chance visit a place called Blue's Egg.

I'll check it out, I constantly take clients out for lunch so I'm looking for any non-chain place I can find.

originally posted by: DorianSoran
Just don't venture south of Cherry Street - once you see the Post Office....its already too late

Meh, could it be any worse than the South Bronx or Bed-Stuy back in the day?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I didn't realize it got that warm up there, ever.

I hope you're not serious.. It is super hot here in the summer and very very humid, like 100 degrees hot.
The hottest on record was 121! Yes, here in Wisconsin. We have 8 months of Winter, 2 days of spring and fall, and four months of sauna.

You get to experience one of our two days of spring!

We were in Alabama and I had heard about Church's Chicken so we stopped in a restaurant and ordered some and proceeded to go sit down. It was all blacks in there, they hushed right up when we came in and stared at us when the wife, daughter, and I walked to the table with our meal. We sat down, not a peep in the restaurant, people staring at us. I got up and announced that I had heard that Church's chicken was good and that we really wanted to try it. All of a sudden the chatting all started again, I broke the ice. My wife was kind of embarrassed at first, but her fear of the situation had gone when everyone started talking to each other again. I have felt the racial tension but refuse to let it bother me so will try to break the ice if I can.

I have seen that Whites can try to blackball a black at work, I have no fear, I talk to everyone. I worked in Sheboygan Wisconsin and at lunch would go to the break room, I sat with a black guy who always sat alone, he was a real nice guy, we talked a while. After that I got the cold shoulder and the foreman told me I should not talk to that black guy, they did not want blacks feeling welcome there because they did not want the troublesome blacks coming to Sheboygan Wisconsin from Milwaukee. I told the foreman that this guy was a nice guy, he had told me that He did not mind that nobody associated with him, he would rather be treated like that than to have to hang around with the trouble making blacks in Milwaukee, he wanted to get away from all the racist conflict of the big city. He did not want any of those blacks coming around him either. I actually got the Foreman to understand and the word got passed. The other workers started to talk to him after that, I sat with him for a few more days, but there was a rotation in the lunch breaks so I hardly ever saw him and after a few months I wanted to go learn something else, I went to work at a construction company. At least the guy felt at home with others, I made a difference.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Somehow when we talk about black and white that is where it ends. My question is why? Is it because of crime? Is that the only reason?

Because both black and white are American. Ghettoization along national lines are one thing; segregation along racial lines is quite another.

Chicago has such vibrant balack culture all should enjoy. There's the wonders of math & all science, space travel along with having invented written language. Nuclear fission is most impressive.

EDIT to add: Must look at Chicago for the great gun laws and low-low crime rate...We need to stop every balack we see and praise them everyday for what they've done for civilized society we see today.

a reply to: JAGStorm

If you run across burnt out churches with burglar bars on the windows, you have left Chicago and are in Gary, Indiana.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Hey there! I live here, in the Harambee neighborhood (right off MLK Drive). Check out Riverwest, stay east of the freeway, Conejito's (near the Harley museum) has cheap, good eats (stay away from the 5th street Mexican places, overpriced), Brady Street is OK, not like it used to be though. Lakefront Brewery tour is a must.
If you have any questions I'll be around.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
I hope you're not serious..

I'm always serious.

originally posted by: thegeneraldisarray
Hey there! I live here, in the Harambee neighborhood...

I like that you named your neighborhood after that poor gorilla that got gunned down in Cincy.

Thanks for the pointers, I'll add them to my list.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm


On my way there today, anywhere you want me to visit that I shouldn't be visiting?

Yes, Milwaukee.