Why is it that African Americans are always associated with the ghetto?

Answer 1

home owners discrimination.blacks do not control which ares have been designated for them to live no different than the real americans who were made to move west or else die. whites settle in areas and blacks are placed in areas,over congestion is not an issue or concern. white's and politics control the association,thanks to good ole white tradition.

Answer 2

I see tv has a lot of people brainwashed.

Im African American and I don't know anyone in the ghetto and I didn't come from the ghetto, nor do I live in the ghetto now.

This question is as stupid and generalized as if I said why is it that White people are always associated with trailer parks? Do you see how silly that sounds? Where are you from that Af-Am are "always" associated with the ghetto cause this isn't what most people think,. well unless they are racist and get all their info from tv shows.

Answer 3

when slavery ended in this country, the most low skilled jobs were found in large cities. There was an explosion of African American employment in these cities because the low skill jobs were some of the only jobs available for African Americans. because of the remaining prejudice in the country, African Americans lived together in certain areas, by choice or because they could not find affordable housing or welcoming neighborhoods.
Because the jobs that these people had were not well paid, these areas tended to be very poor. and by definition, a ghetto is a very poor area, where crime runs rampant. Obviously crime goes hand in hand with poverty.

Answer 4

Stereotypes. Why is any particular culture/race/sex/etc. associated with anything?

Frankly, the reason African Americans are associated with the ghetto is because there used to be a large portion of them who were low income, poor, and lived in the rotten parts of town. The racial stereotype was born, and it continues from there. Frankly, it wasn't that long ago that black people won basic civil rights in the States. Segregation and reintegration wasn't that long ago. Racial stereotypes don't go away overnight - especially when there IS still a large population of low-income black people - just like there's a large population of low-income white people, and they've got insulting associations, too: trailer trash, rednecks, etc.

Answer 5

Because people are ignorant. There's ghettos in practically all parts of the world, some largely populated by Asians, some Indo, some Middle eastern, some Hispanic...and in my opinion Trailer parks should be classified as "ghetto" and look how many white folks reside in them.... Reality is ...Ghetto is a MIND SET, not a culture..... there's ghetto like people all over, some even in positions of power and authority.....and some people IN THE "ghetto" with a classier disposition and more balanced mind set than people living in "ritzy " neighborhoods...depending on where you are.
Jane Kennedy is a PERFECT example of a RICH SUCCESSFUL white female with the most GHETTO mind set I have seen yet!! It's not where you're AT, it's how you think and conduct yourself.

Answer 6

Americans tend to be a little slow to notice change. They do not notice how large a percentage of African-Americans are actually very middle-class or even upper-middle, live in respectable mixed neighborhoods (like my beloved University City, Missouri), and are no more to be associated with ghetto culture than the palest white.

Answer 7

I think that a lot of AA's associate themselves with things that are off 'ghetto' standards. Consciously, because it is all they see, in every form of media, and are taught that anyone who doesn't get in like is less black than them. Geared from the jump to reach not to succeed but to just coast and do nothing, its popular.
For the record I'm not being down on black people but in popular culture there are few positive models that are actually made popular by the people.

Answer 8

Personally I think some races arent as good with capitalism as others. I mean there is a reason that Africa is the poorest area of the world. That transfers to the US.
No slight on them, raw capitalism is a nasty selfish way of life. Some people prefer to live differently. Traditional African society has been based on tribal and clan associations and its prevented them from developing in the way that western society has. Unfortunately they get shafted by capitalism and end up, in the case of the US, in ghettos. Similar to native americans, or aboriginals in Australia.
Yeah discrimination and a whole bunch of other reasons play a part, but I think thats what it boils down to.

Answer 9

I really hope that's not completely true, since the word "ghetto" usually does not refer to a flattering place. You have a very valid point because that word only means a usually run down area made up of primarily one minority group--be they African American, Latino, or Laotian. I think maybe part of it is because there are so many rappers who mention the word "ghetto" and people have become sortta careless with their interpretations and view of the big picture.

Answer 10

I think the media is partly responsible for this. Have you ever noticed that whenever there is a news story about welfare or publich housing issues, there is a black person being interviewed regardless of where it is filmed? Common sense tells me that whites on public assistance outnumbers blacks on public assistance just for the sheer fact that blacks only make up 12-13% of the American population. There are FAR more whites receiving that help than any minority group - PERIOD. The media shows you what they want you to believe. Like another poster said, no one wants to recognize or realize that there are numerous blacks who live a middle-class suburban lifestyle.