THE NEW NEGRO

I personally cannot say that I have fought for integration due to segregation, civil rights. Nor did I march with King back in the day. It's also not to say, that my parents were civil right activist. Because they weren't! My parents were both born and raised in Plain Dealing Louisiana. A very small town that was segregated in the south you had colored people or black people on one side of the town that shopped and lived.  You had white people, or rednecks living and shopping on one side of the town.

My parents wanted something different for their lives as a lot of people did that was born and raised in the South that moved North or West. There was a huge migration of black people or Afro Americans that moved from the south to the West Coast. Deeming California as the best or better place to live because this state was extremely open-minded culturally. Well, why would it not be? Due to the fact that it was the Latino descent that lived there before the white people, or Anglo Saxons took over! You have cities that have Spanish names. And streets that have Spanish names or should I say, Mexican? El Segundo, Figueroa, San Pedro! And there is a city by the name of San Pedro and El Segundo in the state of California these, of course, are not Anglo-Saxon names of cities. 

If you ever had the privilege of watching the movie Devil With A Blue Dress starring Denzel Washington. Then you would note that he did live in a part of Los Angeles which is commonly referred to as South Central Los Angeles. When you view where his home was located and the neighbor's homes were very well-kempt very nice and this was during that migration of the 40s 50s and 60s that black people were now moving from the south to the West Coast.

This migration to the West Coast, beaches, wonderful weather, and a better way to live was just what these colored people, Afro-American people, are simply just black people were looking forward to a better way of life!

So, of course, my parents were part of that migration. When I look back on old photos and see from childhood memories being a child that grew up in the 70s born in the mid-60s to late 60s. I noticed when I was younger that the majority of the people that lived in South Central Los Angeles really took care of their homes and had an interest in living literally in a caring neighborhood. 

There indeed was pride and homes had curb appeal! That is not to say there were not some that didn't take care of their home. Because some people just could not let go of how they lived when living in the south. Let me explain, digress and expound on what it is that I'm delivering.

As with all people on this Earth, You have a variety and vast of people that walk this Earth that take pride in what they wear, how they look, how they live and so forth. You have people who have OCD, you have people that love a very clean home and or meticulous. You have neat freaks. And you have slobs, people who don't take care of their homes, people who are hoarders, people who are filthy and don't have any pride in where they live, how they look, or the upkeep of their homes. So, of course, those same people when moving from the south really did not care about curb appeal. May have been Hoarders, junk Hoarders. These are those that brought those same feelings and values when they moved to California. So, again, there were people that did not take care of the properties that they resided in.

Let me go back just a bit. You really never saw too many Anglo-Saxon, or white people that lived horribly. What we have gained as a society is that Anglo-Saxon people are more privy to take care of their property, the way they dress and what they drive! Yes, we hear about the Rednecks and the hillbillies that did not care about how they dressed, how they lived, and upkeep of their homes. There is a slew of Anglo-Saxon, white people that live horribly! Meaning, this will not be televised as much as it is of other "White Cultures" that had moved to the good ole US of A from Poland, Germany, Russia and so forth. Those are "their" testaments of starting from the bottom now we here! They could get it! They got it! But a lot of Afro_Americans, Colored folk, Negors didn't! That melanin is still an issue in the US of A!

Moving on.

Let me break down the definition of the ghetto for you. A ghetto is an area or city where there are a plethora of people living so closely together in an impoverished condition. A segregated area filled with minorities. Therefore, is where black people, Afro Americans (other races and cultures too) in certain places in various cities in the states that use the term ghetto. 

From the viewpoint of some Afro-Americans, one can act "ghetto" as well.

I recall growing up that Afro-Americans wanted to work, reside and shop where Anglo Saxon people lived and shopped. I concur, why is it that you can live, work and shop also eat. I cannot go to these places because there were hillbillies, honkeys, rednecks that did not want "us" to be where they are.  But as time moved forward, and the world so-called progressed. Afro-Americans were getting an education, great jobs and economically growing and living better! Of course, this is a great thing! 

I recall living in Cali and yes, it was segregated! To the complete nines! You had areas where there were middle-class blacks living in certain areas as well as upper-class blacks segregated to living in certain areas. This is because they were buying homes in areas that whites lived in. Moving them out of their homes to move in areas that the black people just could not afford! Or so they thought! Black people were moving on up like The Jeffersons! 

There, of course, was that underlying prejudice and bigotry that still existed.  Just not spoken of as it was of the white folk that lived in the south! They had the KKK, were hanging black people, raping women, and consistently persistently verbally degrading black people. Of course, you had the black people that would say," Mr. Johnson is a good white man." Side-eyeing right now.

White folk in Cali, some. Were just not ready to have black people move in "their" neighborhood. It was like, okay, you can eat, go, shop where you want to. But live?  We still need to get acclimated to your presence!

So, for me. Cali has always been segregated. Unlike living in Atlanta Georgia. A Republican state that sold slaves, lynched them, hated them.  Is more diverse in this day and time than I can ever recall Cali being! I was amazed when I saw Afro-Americans living everywhere! Not segregated in certain parts of the cities because they were black! Yes, there are what we deem as "ghettos" or rundown areas.  That is in every city! Let's be clear!

How oxymoronic is it that a state that embodied slavery hosts a plethora of Afro Americans that have grown and build up businesses and are doing financially well! Compared to a state that blacks packed up and ran to be free of racial prejudice and discrimination! 

Interesting.

I am now led to bring you, the reader to the full depth of this article. The New Negro! Regentrification that got started seemingly in a plethora of major cities! The areas that had been looked upon as a waste, were ghettos overridden by blacks that no longer cared about the neighborhood they resided in. Children of children that were from children that took pride to buy their first home. Passed on to their children who no longer wanted to simply just pay the taxes on a home that was already paid for!  Or perhaps, maybe lived in the house for a short period and did not care about the property because they simply no longer liked or appreciated the"ghetto" anymore!  They were moving on up! 

Instead of paying the taxes, the city now owned it.  This to a lot of black people is not, was not prime realty!  I would concur! I mean, I don't want to live in the ghetto! Shootings, alcoholics, drug addicts, drugs, disrespectful youths! Yes!  Indeed I am out! 

But.

This is realty! An open opportunity to make some money!  This has been in the works with most segregated ghettos for a long while! So while the whites moved to the valleys, outskirts of the city, the suburbs. They simply led the blacks there too! And while a lot of you said, "I am going too." "It's beautiful and cheaper homes here." "I can get more for my dollar if I move here." Anglo Saxon was on the mufkn job! It was a round table meeting, they already were thinking of what your beloved president has been saying yeeeeaaarrrs ago!  "Let's make America great again!"  They purchased those rundown houses in the ghettos.  Abandoned houses for as little as a dollar!  Or maybe $400 to $500! They purchased those empty God forsaken abandoned buildings, lots, closed businesses.  This was and has been in the works more than forty years ago!  Trust me! 

They moved you out! (black folk) and they moved back in!  Not totally giving a damn if there are unattractive distractions that you or I may not like about our own people! 

They made those abandoned warehouses condos and lofts. They took those empty lots and replaced those closed buildings with small fine dining eateries, massage clinics, spas, private swimming classes, upgraded dog groomers, coffee houses, and supreme chow-chow corner grocery stores! Right in the middle of the hood!  The ghets! Whitey has now moved BACK to what one could call NIGGERDOM! Wow! What an oxymoron! Would you not say? What say you? Because back in the day when you niggas moved in! Whitey moved out!!!!!!!

They redid, redone, renewed, refurbished, renovated old houses and took over!  So why is it that the ghetto did not get these private swimming classes? Or these bougie coffeehouses or stores? These exotic eateries, bakeries, spas and more? For what?  It would be a waste of money and some of YALL would not buy nor take part in it. However, it is interesting that when these businesses are in the Anglo Saxon area YALL quick to run to the man spend your coins! Interesting.

Moving forward.

Well, they redo and build all of these bougie businesses so that they will come back. You know, feel like home. All comfy and cozy! What they are acclimated to! Facts!  

These homes they renovate look as if they were taken out of Home and Garden Magazine! HGTV! Right smack in the midst of niggadom!  Ain't that something?! While you simple negroes let the property go down. Not pay the taxes. Not fully realize the circumstances, the pride, the value of what was past down to you from your great grandparents to your parents. You defaced its value! Simple!  They took your families jewel, hard work and laughed in your face!  Purchasing it for pennies!

Let me be clear!  Indeed I am not saying one should not or cannot move and live better lives, schools, shopping and so forth.  One should want the best!  I know that I do! Indeed! But let's say that you no longer lived in the area. You kept up the property and paid the taxes. While alllll the other homes curb appeal and area looked like trash.  Well, once they had gotten all of the degenerates away. You may have come upon half of million dollars or more! Just because you were in THEIR way of progress! What a nice appreciation to an investment that may have cost $15,000 at the time of purchase or less. That is really moving on up!

My point is, how I see it. Blacks are the old niggas. We can no longer be niggas!  Yes, I said it! Because you know what?  The new NEGRO is coming and has been coming to a ghetto near you and taking over!  Just like the old negro did back in the day! So while whitey, Anglo-Saxon, Hillbilly or Redneck left the neighborhood before it became "the hood" They moving back in the hood and moving you old niggas out!

The new negro!