America’s Blackest City
America’s Blackest City
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Bad and Boujee: Atlanta Takes the Title of America's Blackest City
The readers have spoken, and they’ve named Atlanta America’s blackest city! In our utterly unscientific but completely black-ass poll that capped our monthlong series in which we challenged writers to explain why their city deserved the title of blackest city in America, Atlanta collected slightly more than 21 percent of the votes (the second highest…
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Where Is America's Blackest City?
How do you define the blackness of a city? For Black History Month, we challenged writers to explain why they think their city deserves the title of blackest city in America. And man, did they rep their cities hard. So now, we’re asking you, our readers, to vote for who made the strongest case. Here’s…
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Brooklyn's Blackness Is Strongest Because of Its Rich Diaspora Influences and Deep History
Black people from Brooklyn are mad proud of where they’re from. Some confuse it for arrogance, but if you grew up here it’s hard to find energy anywhere that can match it. Yes, the borough does boast hip-hop greats and is the setting for cornerstone Spike Lee films. But those aren’t the sole reasons we…
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For Us, By Us: Newark’s Blackness Doing It for the Culture, the Politics, the People
Newark is so black that during the Great Migration, folks thought it was “New York,” got off the train, and stayed. True story. Newark so black they gotta mayor named Ras, a royal title in Amharic, and you know how black people love grand names (also see: NWK native Queen Latifah— who named herself). New-Ark,…
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New Orleans: Where Blackness Was Born
This year, America will commemorate 400 years when the first slaves were forced onto this land in 1619. When considering the experiences of our people in this country, I can only think of one city that can tie together all our attributes: history, music, cuisine, influential leaders, cultural landmarks and information that is unique to…
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Detroit: Why The D Is the Blackest City of All Time
If I had to pick a song that defines my hometown of Detroit, it would be Dej Loaf’s “Try Me” because white supremacy has been trying to stamp a nigga out of this fine city since the Great Migration landed us there at the turn of the 20th century. We came up to Detroit to…
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When It Comes to Blackest Cities, Don't Sleep on Miami
OK, I know what you’re thinking. Miami? The blackest city in America? Ha! Not with all that “tiki tiki music” that everyone automatically hears once there’s any scene showcasing the 3-0-5 in movies, music videos and TV shows. But hear me out. Miami is actually the blackest city in America and I’m here to school…
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A (Very Short) Case for Why Pittsburgh Is the Blackest City in America
I’m not going to cite the Homestead Grays or the history of the Hill District. Nor will I The Pittsburgh Courier, Homewood, Teenie Harris, Billy Eckstine, Phyllis Hyman, John Edgar Wideman, Little Haiti, The Crawford Grill, Mary Lou Williams, George Benson, Josh Gibson, Antoine Fuqua, Billy Porter, Latoya Ruby Frazier, Art Blakey, Romare Bearden, Kyle…
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In Black Memphis, Beale Street Can Talk
Beale Street can talk. She’s country, loud and a bit ghetto. She’s bold like the blackness she exudes throughout the city. She has a thick tongue and a sour drawl. She uses Lisa Akbari’s shampoo and the black tube of Ampro gel to slick down her edges. She refuses to wear a slip when she…
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Oakland Makes Everything Black, Blacker
There’s a spirit here that takes anything and makes it blacker than it was before. Shit, after you read this, you’re going to be blacker, too. Oakland, Calif., took the wheel and made the first black motorcycle club, The East Bay Dragons. Oakland took the book and made a home for the longest standing black-owned…