Study: New Orleans could lose 80 percent of black population

nola.com / AP ^ | January 26, 2006 | Michelle R. Smith [AP]

[caryatid]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The city of New Orleans could lose up to 80 percent of its black population if people displaced by Hurricane Katrina are not able to return to their damaged neighborhoods, according to an analysis released Thursday by a Brown University sociologist.

Blacks and the poor were disproportionately affected by Katrina, according to the study led by Brown Professor John R. Logan. The analysis concludes that the difficulty in moving back to the city could mean a massive loss of population, overwhelmingly among blacks.

New Orleans was more than 65 percent black before Katrina hit in August, but it appears most of the estimated 135,000 residents who have been able to return are white. Mayor Ray Nagin recently apologized for saying New Orleans would remain a "chocolate city" as he tried to allay fears that blacks would not return.

The study found that if New Orleans' returning population was limited to the neighborhoods undamaged by Katrina, about half the white population would not return and 80 percent of its black population would not. [...]

[caryatid]

Blacks and the poor were disproportionately affected by Katrina, according to the study led by Brown Professor John R. Logan.

 

This demonstrably false statement discredits the entire study ... but what else would one expect from a Brown University professor!?

[muawiyah]

One cold, hard fact none of these people ever bring up is that New Orlean's stock of wooden housing was being destroyed by the Formosa termite.

It really didn't matter if it was a hurricane or a flood that hit the place ~ the residential districts were doomed!

BTW, some of those NO refugees have moved in around here and are working in the local restaurant industry. You can see, and taste, the difference. Those guys really know how to cook, how to present the food, and how to work the customers.

[NonValueAdded]

Has hizzhonor ever heard of white chocolate?

[Gordongekko909]

Wait, I live(d) in Lakeview, a predominantly white and Republican area. You know the 17th Street Canal breach? That breach was in Lakeview. These folks need to get their demographic info straight.

[caryatid]

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[beethovenfan]

Sounds like N'awlins will be vanilla, not chocolate.
Comment, Mayor Nagin?

[FormerACLUmember]

Many have found jobs elsewhere, such as male modeling:

[msnimje]

[Gordongekko909]

Those termites were causing problems, but there are ways to deal with that.

And if you think our waiters and cooks are awesome, you should see our bartenders. : )

[caryatid]

New Orlean's stock of wooden housing was being destroyed by the Formosa termite.

It has been reported that the wet conditions after the flooding made the wooden housing stock even more palatable to the Formosan termites.

You are right ... no one understands food ... or does food better ... than folks from Louisiana and New Orleans.

[NonValueAdded]

He also forgot to mention the percentage of blacks and other poor unlikely to return after finding a better quality of life elsewhere. I'd love to see a survey of evacuee parents with children attending school systems outside of Louisiana.

[mtbopfuyn]

But white chocolate is fake chocolate. Nasty stuff. Hmm, maybe that's what he meant.

[rodguy911]

Rumors are that the illegal Mexicons will take their place.

[Past Your Eyes]

Maybe they should all move to Rhode Island and change the name of their Ivy League University to Chocolate University.

[caryatid]

... you should see our bartenders. : )

Only someone from New Orleans would be able to comprehend an evening out spent, in serious contemplative study ... going from bar to bar to bar sampling to see which bartender makes the best Ramos Gin Fizz [the Roosevelt always had an edge] ...     LOL

[Lizavetta]

Blacks and the poor were disproportionately affected by Katrina,

And if Katrina would have struck Beverly Hills the rich whites would have been disproportionately affected.....had it struck Idaho potato farmers and rednecks would have been disproportionately affected.

There is no point in mentioning this other than to stir up more racial tensions.

[TheStraightDope]

"This demonstrably false statement discredits the entire study ... but what else would one expect from a Brown University professor!?"

Usually when one uses the word "demonstrably false" in an argument it is followed by a demonstration of how this is the case (same root word, see?) You have not provided this, nor do I think you can. It's almost a no-brainer that poor people are hit harder by disasters of any kind, financial, natural, sociological, you name it. I have first-hand experience with this being very poor myself, and so I think a study on this subject is stupid, and a big waste of time.

Regardless, I think it important that we not resort to knee-jerk conservatism on issues such as this; it really makes us no better than many on the left.

[caryatid]

I'd love to see a survey of evacuee parents with children attending school systems outside of Louisiana.

The few reports I have read have said that parents are amazed at what their children are learning ... now that they have escaped the New Orleans Public School System ...

... 'tis an ill wind, indeed, that blows no one some good ...

[Richard Kimball]

I'm wagering it will be a lot more hispanic. When I lived there in the 70's, there were hardly any hispanics in the area. It was all black, white, and some Vietnamese who were moving into the fishing industry. From what I've read, a lot of the reconstruction work is being done by hispanics, and a lot of them may put down roots there.

No difference to me, as when I crossed the border back into Texas in '79, I promised I would never deliberately enter Louisiana again, unless directed by Jesus Christ. I've held true to that, although I have flown over it once.