African Americans in Cleveland are worse off than almost anywhere else in the country, a report published today on New Geography (originally appearing in Forbes), showed.
As in other struggling Rust Belt Cities, blacks in Cleveland rarely own their own homes (37 percent), make nowhere near enough money (Median Home Income: $26,646), and aren’t as entrepreneurial as in places like Atlanta or Charlotte or Washington D.C.
“African-Americans in these old industrial towns earn on average $10,000 to $15,000 less than their counterparts in Atlanta,” writes author (and New Geography editor) Joel Kotkin. “Self-employment rates are half as high as those in our top 10 cities.”
Cleveland was ranked 47 out of 52 cities in the study, right alongside other former manufacturing giants: Buffalo (46), Pittsburgh (48), and Cincinnati (50).
The data relied exclusively on economic indicators, so things like the Tamir Rice shooting and racial profiling by police didn’t enter into the equation; Cleveland likely would have slid even further in the rankings if they had.
This article appears in Jan 14-20, 2015.
So whats the solution? people need to ignore these kinds of articles and just do whats best for themselves and their families. listening to this negativity is what brings people down.
Apparently, the solution is for unemployed and unsuccessful African Americans to move to Atlanta, Charlotte or Washington D.C. where they will become more entrepreneurial, make more money and own their own homes.
then if they’re not happy, LEAVE
I don’t understand how this is possible. The County and the Central City have for many years enjoyed a liberal political monopoly that solves the problems of the poor, and provides leadership to ensure equality of races. Maybe the problem is that the last group of leaders is not here to help them, what with jail time and all. Not entrepreneurial? Wow! What a surprise! Why would anybody be entrepreneurial in a system that pays them for not working? That’s simple economics.
Of course, the next question is are whites and Hispanics doing any better, since that same magazine has name Cleveland the poorest city in the U.S….
Hey Sam Allard, how about people taking responsibility for themselves and dig themselves out of poverty instead of playing the woe is me race card. Better yet why don’t you help the situation and quit writing race baiting articles.
So how is publishing facts from a national magazine considered race-baiting?
We are not going anywhere! You all wish we would leave haha !!
It sounds to me like that could have ended the headline at Cleveland is still a really shitty place to live.
Your life is what you make it. If it sucks then do something different. Life in Cleveland isn’t that bad. Its more about the people’s perspective who live here that gives this city its image. That and people like you who write negative shit about it. Find something better to do like maybe writing a positive article about Cleveland. MORON
Worse than Detroit? I think not.
Worse than Detroit? Detroit wasn’t listed among the worst which included Cincinnati, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. When I lived in Alabama the natives there were fond of saying “Thank God for Mississippi” which always ranked at #50 to Alabama’s #49. A distinction without a difference.
Everyone makes more money in Atlanta; Atlanta its poor representation of a equal city.
Maybe they should be better so they can do better
I’m a black man. I can understand if a black person who depends on racists for a job, continuously worry about racism. I also understand why many black people don’t corroborate financially with each other to build more of the institutions they need, due to a lack of trust or suspicion. Waiting for Change, can be often times catastrophic to one’s life. I don’t care much about black leadership nor white racism. I witnessed members of my family wait for change and died waiting. It is my hope that future black generations will see the world for what it is and come to an understanding of what must be done.
Its always funny how white people tell black people to stop complaining and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Even as they play games with the bootstraps. Never take advice on rising up from people who haven’t had to rise at all.
As a black person with a doctoral degree and a ton of work experience, I’ve found the Cleveland job market nearly impenetrable. You can get a job in the public school system, the post office, maybe the govt or a nonprofit, but that about wraps it up. Folks here (broad generalization alert) are not ignorant, but are easily threatened and VERY passive aggressive. You never know where you stand till you realize they’re screwing or excluding you in some way – black AND White people both do this. You have to be low key to the pint of mute and mediocre at everything, including the way you work and speak or you’re gonna have issues. I’m no CEO and I’m kind to people, but it wasn’t till I moved here that I’ve become “too much.” So north easterners, New Englanders, Westerners – this place probably ain’t for you. Black professionals – find a tribe here if you can because other black folks mostly aren’t going to support you or even wish you well. I blame a lot of that on lack of opportunities thanks to racism, so it’s kind of crabs in a barrel. Love the low cost of living, the lake and midwestern politeness (it’s surface, but it’s still nice) but Cleveland ain’t it unless you’re white, and better if it’s your hometown or you’re from the Midwest and understand the silent, inexplicable resentfulness (some of it seems to manifest in heavy drinking and incredible road rage). I don’t get it. I’ll be leaving.
I wish there were easier answers. Cleveland’s tax base has shrunk substantially over the decades. And, we don’t have a political climate at the state and federal level where there is the will to fill in the gaps. Combine that with systemic racism, this is a really difficult cycle to break out of. Maybe we will need big change, the likes we have not seen since the New Deal before this gets better.