Former Slavery Strongholds Harbor Majority Of Nation's Racists, Study Shows

[carolinayellowdog]

28. this is about counties within the South; whites who are minorities locally are the worst racists

I grew up in and have largely lived in communities with 25-50% black populations. But in the course of travel and research I have found that the siege mentality of whites in places where they are outnumbered by blacks is a whole different level of racial hostility than elsewhere. Shocking remarks from white distant relatives in 70% black counties brought this home to me as a genealogist.

DU seems to be taking the study as being about a shared trait of the South as a whole (presumably as contrasted with other parts of the country.) It's clearly about the differences between places in the South based on racial histories. But regardless of racial histories involving slavery, I think the basic pattern would hold true in counties up north. Whites who are minorities in their local communities in places like Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit-- would they be any less negative towards the black majority surrounding them than people in Alabama with similar local demographics? Doubtful since residential racial segregation is most extreme in the Great Lakes states. The study merits replication nationwide.