The New York Times has a little bit more today on the latest Census report which basically confirms the population shifts of the past decade up until 2009:
LINK. More black and hispanics are moving to the suburbs and whites are moving back into Manhattan. While reading these reports, folks should remember that greater New York City is huge and includes outer boroughs and whites still remain a minority. Greater New York now stands at 35.5 percent white, 27 percent Hispanic, 23 percent black and 12 percent Asian. Manhattan on the other hand has reversed decades of White Flight to become majority white for the first time since the 1970's. The island now stands at 50 percent White, 24 percent Hispanic, 14 percent black and 11 percent Asian.
For further breakdown of Harlem's population, the Times has the above interactive map on their site that shows the block demographic percentages of each neighborhood:
LINK. Blue dots indicate the black population, yellow for Hispanics and green for the white population. Just going block per block, the black population is easily 60%-70% of Central Harlem's majority. These numbers look different when Greater Harlem (which includes Morningside Heights according to the NY Times) comes into the picture. This larger cross section that also includes a majority Hispanic East and West Harlem was part of this years controversial article on Greater Harlem becoming no longer majority black based on the 2008 census:
LINK.
The most striking numbers are in South Harlem (west of Lenox, south of 125th, east of Morningside Park), which was around 3% white in 2000. It's now about 16% white. And that sort of thing tends to accelerate. Just ask Prospect Heights.
ReplyDeleteWhy does it even matter anymore in 2010? And what's it mean for societal decision making? I am Black. The Blacks that I know that have moved out of Harlem all had a college degree(s), solid job & decent career track. I don't see moving vans at the countless projects, do you? What's it mean to say "the black population is easily 60%-70% of Central Harlem's majority" when a very high percentage of that pool can't be priced out of Harlem, was never susceptible to the economy, and their place in Harlem is preserved through welfare benefits covering housing, and or food, and or medical, in many cases all 3.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers communicate a false perception of the ethnic vitality of the group (Blacks in Harlem). 60%-70% sounds hearty and robust. Just as the middle class of all of Manhattan has been getting priced out, the Black middle class of Harlem has been getting priced out of Harlem, ironically, this fate does not apply to the Black underclass (the vast majority of that 60%-70%), which is enormous, entitled, and fixed in place.
Hmmm. Why are there people living in Marcus Garvey Park (according to the map)?
ReplyDeleteHHeights very well said!! To add a bit more most of those folks also show little inclination to want to change their situation either. So with things as they are Harlem will remain 60-70 % "black"
ReplyDeleteAmazing NY Times interactive map.
ReplyDeleteJust want to note that all information on the NY Times piece is based on 2009 stats. Therefore, we are still waiting on everything that has been recorded this past year.
ReplyDeleteSanou's Mum, the dots are placed by census tract. The park is in a census tract that also contains some settled areas to the east, so some people show up as living in the park who really just live elsewhere in the census tract. (One dot is 50 people, so they're not all in the right place.)
ReplyDeleteI sort of agree with HHeights, but the population living in the projects is not 60-70%; maybe 30% at most.