Black mecca
A black mecca, in the United States, is a city to which African Americans, particularly singles, professionals, and middle-class families,[1] are drawn to live, due to some or all of the following factors: New York City, in particular Harlem, was referred to as a black mecca during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and still is as of today.
[19] In 2018, Forbes magazine ranked Atlanta tied for the #1 city in the U.S. (along with the Washington, D.C. area) for where African-Americans are doing the best economically.
[25] According to a 2018 study, 30.7% of African-Americans in the Atlanta metro area have earned at least a bachelor's degree which is above the national average of 21.8% for black Americans.
[30] According to a 2015 study by NerdWallet, the Atlanta area is home to about 2.1 million black owned businesses, the highest in the nation.
[35][36][37][38][39] In 2005, The New York Times reported that Atlanta had become a mecca for Black LGBT people, noting that within the African-American community in the U.S., in which some consider being gay was slightly less accepted than in society as a whole, Atlanta formed a reputation for being a place inclusive to LGBT people with its "too busy to hate" mantra.
[8] In 1997 the Chicago Tribune published an article titled "Atlanta's image as a black mecca losing luster".
The loss in "luster" was because of a reality that too many blacks weren't coming close to financial success, but rather "caught up in a vicious cycle of poverty, crime and homelessness".
The city had among the highest crime rates in the nation coupled with low performing predominately black public schools.
Elected leaders were unable to solve or improve problems plaguing the Black community in the city.
[36][58] Also, Atlanta has the 5th highest mortgage delinquency rate in the nation, the majority involving Black residents.
[68] The Houston metropolitan area boasts an accomplished and strategically networked community of African American entrepreneurs, executives, and business leaders as any city in the country.
The Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1935 as Houston's first black civic organization and currently led by Chairwoman Courtney Johnson Rose, is the go-to source for business development and strategic partnership opportunities, as well as education, capital, and contacts for entrepreneurs.
[69] Houston has an overall lower cost of living than Atlanta, Harlem, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and most other major cities in the U.S. which is an additional draw for many African Americans.
[77] Southern Hip Hop artists such as Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Scott, Scarface, Sauce Walka, Bun B, Don Toliver, Slim Thug, Kirko Bangz, Lil' Keke, Z-Ro, Pimp C, Big Hawk, Mike Jones, Boss Hogg Outlawz, Lil' Troy, and Geto Boys are some popular hip-hop artists from Houston.
Some notables include Beyonce, Lizzo, Kelly Rowland, Letoya Luckett, Destiny's Child, Solange Knowles, Normani, H-Town, Ideal, Brooke Valentine, and Jennifer Holliday.
[citation needed] Houston's Black brunch and nightlife culture have grown to become highly prominent in the United States.
[82] Social media has played a major role in brunch and nightlife in the city becoming a top destination for Black adults around the world (especially Nigerians).
[83] Unlike most cities, Houston offers many popular restaurants, bars, lounges, clubs, and events that culturally caters to Black adults.
[87] Houston is home to a number of successful entrepreneurs and established Black owned businesses that contribute to the thriving economy of the city.
Also the Houston area is home to many high quality public and private schools which is another draw for people of Nigerian descent.
[97][98] Only Atlanta, Chicago, Harlem, Houston, and Washington, D.C., are, over time and in multiple sources, mentioned as black meccas.
[107] The 2021 documentary, The North Star: Finding Black Mecca explores this chapter of Chatham's history.
