JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – More African Americans are moving to Jacksonville from big cities, according to an Associated Press report on the 2020 census.
According to the AP, between 2010 and 2020, Fort Worth, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Jacksonville, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina, were the cities with the largest population gains among African Americans.
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The report states: 2020 census figures show that each city gains between 32,000 and 40,000 black residents. He adds, “African Americans have been migrating to Atlanta and other major cities in the South for decades.”
As the AP writes, from the 1910s through the 1960s, millions of black Americans took part in the great migration, moving to northern cities to escape the overt racism of the Jim Crow South. But many have learned over time that racism is also pervasive in northern cities, in less obvious but equally insidious forms such as restrictions on home loans that reinforce segregated neighborhoods. Now, in a trend known as “reverse migration,” some of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those original migrants have been returning to Southern cities for years.
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Locally, it could also impact politics, as many African Americans vote along Democratic party lines.
To add some political context, Duval County’s Supervisor of Elections reports 264,000 registered Democrats, or 40%; 229,000 registered Republicans, or 35%; and 145,000 people with no political affiliation, or 22%.
Local activist Ben Frazier, who focuses on community relations, says he’s not surprised to hear more African Americans are moving south, but that doesn’t mean they’ll vote Democratic .
“I think you have to look at the NPA as it relates to African Americans, knowing that many young black voters today are disgusted and appalled by Republicans and Democrats,” Frazier said.
Frazier says it’s because party leaders aren’t delivering on their promises and now voters are looking at issues and not just party affiliation.
As the demographics of Duval County change, people can easily be drawn to a place like Jacksonville for a lower cost of living, better climate, and better quality of life.
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