they have the capability, [but] I think we need new leadership. … Citywide there is a change, but not in the school system,” she says.
Among other changes she would like to see is a more aggressive urban renewal plan in conjunction with real estate development. “[Birmingham] is a great place to live and raise a family, and there are a lot of black professionals here. [When I have] children, I want them to see blacks leading the city.”
—Anthony Calypso
6
CHARLOTTE, NC
The “Queen City” appears again on the top 10 as one of the few cities without an African American mayor. Survey respondents were not satisfied with the performance of elected officials but were satisfied with the overall power and influence of Charlotte’s black community.
The metropolitan area earned high marks for cost of living, diversity, and economic growth. Respondents also were satisfied with the quality of healthcare, even though Charlotte’s number of physicians per capita is the lowest among the top 10 and well below the national average.
Charlotte residents were disappointed with the dearth of black-owned businesses. The city’s density of residents per black business is significantly less than that of top contenders Washington, D.C., and Houston. African Americans own only 6.2% of the area’s businesses. Charlotte residents have high hopes that BET founder Robert L. Johnson’s ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats NBA basketball franchise—a major-league sports team first—will influence other African American entrepreneurs.
Charlotte is a youthful, mobile hub for professionals (the median age of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s population is 32.8). Residents expressed satisfaction with earnings potential and career opportunities. Future job growth is fairly strong at 18.7%. Nearly 76,000 jobs were created by $8.6 billion invested in new business development over the past decade. Black unemployment in Charlotte is 8.2%, which is the fourth lowest of the top 10.
Income disparities in Charlotte are not atypical. The median black household income of $38,604 is the fourth highest among the top 10, and 29.6% of black households earn more than $50,000 a year. Charlotte places third in terms of black homeownership at 55.5%.
The city and 15 nearby counties boast four universities, 11 liberal arts colleges, and 10 community colleges. However, only 16.5% of black adults have bachelor’s degrees, number six out of the top 10. Slightly better is the city’s 74.7% rate for blacks attaining high school diplomas.
One-third of Charlotte’s population is African American. The dissimilarity index is 55.2. This relatively low number indicates substantial racial interaction compared to cities with a higher index of say 87.2, which are more segregated. Not surprising, survey respondents expressed general satisfaction with race relations in Charlotte.
—C.H.
Main Industries
Financial services, manufacturing, IT, software, transportation, and travel
Landmarks
Levine Museum of the New South
Annual Events
Juneteenth
B.E. Industrial/Service 100 Companies
American Product Distributors Inc.
Top Black Officials
Patrick De’Angelo Cannon, mayor pro tem, city council; Melvin L. Watt, U.S. Rep.; James L. Pughsley, school superintendent; Harry Jones, county manager
Websites
www.ci.charlo
tte.nc.us/home.htm
Gregory and Robyn Massey can’t imagine anything that could lure them away from Charlotte, which they say represents the best of urban life. For the Masseys, it has