Population and Society Residential Segregation

¶ … Michael Powell describes the combination of factors that contribute to the harsh and drastic shift in the economic realities of the wealthy, black communities in Memphis, TN. This article was published by the New York Times just over two years ago, certainly during severe economic times during the United States, which have not subsided in the present, a few years later. The article provides a brief and modern history of the growth the black middle class in Memphis and some surrounding towns.

For a time, many black people were employed very well, owned attractive property, and lived comfortable middle class, American lifestyles. As of 2010, there were drastic events occurring with great frequency that changed the lives of many blacks for the worse. The article describes the rise and the descent of the middle class black community in Tennessee during the early 21st century. Additionally, the article provides evidence of a sociological perspective at work within the style of writing as well as the reference to a sociological expert from Brandeis University in the body of the text. (Powell, 2010)

The article includes excerpts of interviews of citizens of the area whose lives are experienced statistics that Powell provides. Though the individuals interviewed vary, something they all have in common is there shock at how swiftly all of the economic obstacles appeared. It seemed to have happened from one moment to the next from the perspective of the people Powell interviewed. The tone is less formal that the Farley & Frey article, which was written approximately fifteen years prior.

In approximately the mid 1990s, Farley and Frey published their article about patterns of segregation between blacks and whites during specific decades of the 20th century. This is another article that perceives an event, series of events, or pattern that stems from a variety of factors converging on specific groups during a specific duration of time. The authors use the sociological imagination and perspective in their inquiry into and explanation of patterns of segregation in the United States between blacks and white during the latter decades of the 20th century.

Some would argue that the great social imbalances between black and whites in America were a long time ago; some would argue that those times were not so long ago. Even further still there are others that would argue that those times have not ceased, and are evidenced by studies such as the one performed by Farley & Frey, which clearly demonstrate that though there is relatively less segregation between blacks and whites, there is still a substantial level of intentional segregation between these groups.

Racial attitudes have changed-most whites now endorse the principle of equal opportunities for blacks in the housing market. However, the evidence…and our analysis of the percent change in segregation in 232 metropolitan areas suggest that most whites are uncomfortable when numerous blacks enter their neighborhoods. Also, few whites will move into neighborhoods with many black residents. The conservative attitudes of whites and their fear of becoming a minority in a neighborhood limit the desegregation that can occur. (Farley & Frey, "Changes in Segregation," Page 40)

The authors conclude that segregation will continually to gradually decrease if patterns continue, but thus far show no signs of decreasing to comparable levels of desegregation with and between Asians and Latinos. They also contend that major changes in segregation occur during and because of changes in the attitudes of whites.

Because segregation resulted from the unwillingness of whites to remain when blacks moved into their neighborhoods and from the reluctance of whites to move into areas that had black residents, integration presumably depended on a liberalization of white attitudes. In the early national samples, whites strongly endorsed the principle of residential segregation. (Farely & Frey, "Changes in Segregation," Page 27)