I was in Washington D.C. the week that Chuck Brown
died. One of America’s beloved cities
had lost its King and the city was in mourning. The city once dubbed “Chocolate
City” was once a Mecca for Black Folks.
Before Atlanta became the flavor of the month, D.C. was the spot for
black folks. A prime example of that
blackness was U Street. U Street was once the stomping ground for black legends
Duke Ellington and Pearl Bailey. But
times have changed for the city. I could
tell standing on U Street that a shift in demographics has happened. I saw more white faces for the first time
than I could remember. And I don’t mean
more but MORE!!! Every after hour spot I
would attend had white folks in attendance.
They were even in a club that was predominately white. Just 2 years ago when I visited, the only
white folks I saw were driving through on their way to Adams Morgan. Now some white dude was walking down the
street in pajamas.
This appears to be an event that is not lost on the black
residence of D.C. They know that their
city is changing and some don’t like the change. White Flight has been replaced by Urban Gentrification. White folks are coming
back to the cities and don’t mind paying a pretty price to do so. You have Million Dollar Condo’s popping up in
neighborhoods that back in the day people wouldn’t even drive through. But this isn’t just a D.C. issue. Most cities
are dealing with this new revival. I
remember when I first arrived to Charlotte N.C. for college I was warned about
going Uptown. During the day it was cool
but after dark it was not. A couple of
years later, white women are jogging down the streets with their dogs. I don’t think black folks that lived in these
neighborhoods ever saw this coming. Especially
when they were sitting on their porch during the drug infested and low property
value days. They couldn’t have known that their property would be worth so much
in the future?
The angst that some black folks have with these changes is
understandable. Will chain storesreplace mom and pop stores? Will the
increase in taxes drive out residents that don’t want to leave? With their
core audience leaving, will white folks continue to shop at black
businesses? Then again, I’m 100% sure
that black folks who sold their homes knew they could get paid. They weren’t
concerned with the loss of heritage but with the bottom line. Only time will tell if all of this will be a
good or bad thing. If you look at the
surrounding areas of D.C. i.e. Southern Maryland, you see neighborhoods full of
black folks. Black Folks are populating
the suburbs to where the demographics have changed dramatically. How interesting to see this reverse in
population and color. D.C. will probably
never be the same again. Gentrification
isn’t perfect but it’s not going anywhere.
Every inner city area that has redeemable value will receive a makeover
(if it hasn’t happened yet in your town it will).
I started off talking about the death of a legend. Chuck Brown’s death has meaning in the
revitalization of Washington D.C. Brown
was a consummate professional that kept the beat
going all night long. The community
around him might have been changing but that never stopped him from
representing his city. There is something
that is still majestic about our nation’s capital. I think the black residents of the
district should take a page from Brown’s book.
Although the music might change the beat never stops.
