Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
quite residentially concentrated. By 1960 it was plain that the growing
African American population had formed into a highly concentrated
area. This is clear from examining figures 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 and the various
segregation indexes.
To what extent does Chicago's growth patern relect those of other
cities in the United States? Chicago's development, while typical, is more
segregated than other cities with available data, including Baltimore,
Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapo-
lis, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Pitsburgh, St. Louis, Syra-
cuse, Washington, D.C., and Yonkers. Figure 2.5 is a chart that compares
trends in six indicators of change and segregation in these cities from
1880 to 1960.
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he igure shows the following paterns:
1. a gradual increase in the proportion of African Americans in
the population;
2. a very modest increase in the exposure of whites to members of
other groups;
3. a very large increase in the isolation of blacks from whites;
4. a very large decrease in the exposure of blacks to members of
other groups;
5. a steep increase in the dissimilarity index; and
6. a minimal decline in white isolation.
In short, these changes indicate that on average in these U.S. cities
there was a marked increase in the segregation of blacks and whites.
This increase accompanied the increase in African American population
growth in these cities. W hen the cities are considered separately, only
one, Yonkers, has a dissimilarity index below 0.60; and only one other,
Washington, D.C., has an index between 0.60 and 0.70.
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At the same
time, only Chicago is above 0.90, with an index of 0.91 (the next highest
is Cleveland, with 0.86).
Conclusions from This Analysis
1. here is a general patern of increased segregation in these
U.S. cities from 1880 to 1960. African Americans experienced
a substantial increase in number and proportion while also
becoming more isolated from whites.
