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Thursday, March 28, 2024

The end of the ‘inner city’ myth

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It’s hard to bury a myth. Especially one as enduring as the myth that most Blacks in Indianapolis live in Center Township or in the “inner city” which everyone assumes is Center Township.

The companion myth is that Black voters in Center Township are the reason for Democrats recent election successes here.

The above myths have been false for over 10 years. Many who have their ears on the ground and their feet in the streets know it’s false. But for some Blacks, virtually all whites and especially the majority of Indianapolis’ political, business and civic leaders, all continue to believe that the fulcrum of our community continues to be centered south of 38th Street.

But, new data from the now yearly Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) has buried the Center Township/inner city myth under the weight of cold hard statistics.

Granted, the American Community Survey is still experimental, with sampling variables and margins of error. But, bottom line, the Census ACS is showing what the 2010 Decennial Census will confirm – the vast majority of African-Americans in this city/county, do NOT live in Center Township.

The 2006 ACS confirms that Black folks live everywhere – and I mean everywhere. That simple irrefutable fact has permanently changed the complexion and character of Indianapolis; in many ways for the better.

The facts are stark.

Just 24.3 percent of the county’s Black population of 235,085 lives in Center Township. Down from over 90 percent 37 years ago, and down from 32.3 percent in 2000.

The Census ACS reports that Washington Township is the next largest township for African-Americans with 17.4 percent of the city/county’s total Black population. Followed by Lawrence Township (14.7 percent of the total); Pike Township (13.9 percent of the total); Warren Township (13.7 percent of the total) and Wayne Township (13.1 percent of the total).

The American Community Survey also estimates that 3.1 percent of the city’s Black population lives in the city’s three southern townships – Perry, Decatur and Franklin – a record number.

Another enduring myth was always that Blacks comprised a majority of Center Township’s population. Never true.

At its peak, Center Township was about 42 percent Black. The 2006 ACS reports that as of 2006 Center’s was just 40.6 percent Black. The township now with the highest percentage of Black population is Pike at 41.7 percent Black.

Several of Indy’s other townships have substantial Black populations – Washington 32.5 percent Black; Warren 31.6 percent Black; Lawrence 29.4 percent Black and Wayne 23.1 percent Black.

Even Perry Township is getting racially diverse with the Census ACS estimating 3.6 percent of the township’s population is African-American.

The more myth shattering statistic concerns African-American voting strength. Black voting age population is at a record high according to the Census ACS at 151,284; 23.9 percent of Marion County’s total voting age population of 622,654.

Just a quarter, (24.5 percent) of all potential Black voters live in Center Township. The power is elsewhere as 18.9 percent of all Black voters live in Washington Township; 14.4 percent in Lawrence; 14.3 percent in Pike; 12.6 percent in Wayne and 12.2 percent in Warren. Even 3.2 percent of all Black voters live in the city/county’s three Southside townships – Perry, Franklin and Decatur.

Nearly half of Indianapolis’ Black voters (47.3 percent), nearly double the total number of Center’s Black voters, live in the northern third of Marion County, the neighborhoods north of 38th Street.

Many whites can’t understand the growing strength of Democratic political power in Indianapolis/Marion County. It’s simple. The growth has been directly fueled by the numerical growth and geographic spread of the African-American population into all areas of this city/county.

Since Blacks comprise one-in-four total voters, Democrats can’t win without the Black voter. And more ominously, it’s very difficult for Republicans to win without garnering Black voters. They can win without Black voters, but only if they command disproportionately high margins of support from white voters.

African-Americans are now the fulcrum of political power in Indianapolis. It’s a demographic reality few of our Black leaders really understand. It’s a power our community needs to harness and motivate for maximum effectiveness.

The diaspora of Indianapolis’ African-American community away from its longtime base is one of the major demographic realities that mainstream Indianapolis media has pointedly ignored and that Indianapolis political, economic, business and civic and social service leadership stubbornly refuse to understand or acknowledge.

Let me put our community’s growth in this perspective.

When UniGov was created in 1970, the total Black population was 134,486 and Black voting strength was 77,874. Thirty-six years later, Indy’s Black population has increased 75 percent, while the number of Black voters has nearly doubled, increasing 94 percent.

The myth is non-existent. It’s time Indianapolis comes to grips with the reality of the strength of its African-American community.

What I’m hearing in the streets

Have the downtown power brokers “leaned” on Mayor Bart Peterson to aggressively run the homeless out of downtown? Has the city turned police loose to round up, harass and lock up downtown’s homeless – many of whom are African-American? Ethnic cleansing is an abomination, whether in Bosnia, Iraq, the Sudan or in downtown Indianapolis.

Last week, Republican mayoral candidate Greg Ballard virtually adopted Mayor Peterson’s entire consolidation agenda, publicly advocating eliminating township fire departments, trustees, assessors, township board, constables and small claims courts. Peterson’s consolidation plans were always torpedoed in the Legislature by Marion County Republicans. Ballard’s own party.

Meanwhile, Ballard’s yet to make a case to Indy’s growing African-American voters on why they should vote Ballard, not Peterson. The Fraternal Order of Police endorsement doesn’t help with Black voters.

Time’s running out for Ballard to make his case to our community.

Next Thursday’s second Tavis Smiley hosted All American Presidential debates features Republicans. At least five major GOP candidates will participate in the debate at Morgan State University.

But the GOP’s two front runners, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani refuse to participate. Romney and Giuliani are emulating the game plan of Karl Rove and President George W. Bush to ignore and marginalize our community by not participating in an opportunity to speak to the nation’s African-Americans through journalists they respect and trust.

Regarding Thursday’s debate, our “Afternoons with Amos” on WTLC-AM (1310) will reprise our historic simulcast with WFYI-FM (90.1) Public Radio in a two day special focusing on the GOP candidates and how they address issues of importance to our community. Hope you’ll listen.

See ‘ya next week.

Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of The Indianapolis Recorder. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.

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