The Tale of Two Philadelphias

The Urban League of Philadelphia recently released a report titled the State of Black Philadelphia. Every Philadelphian should read this report. It offers shocking and saddening statistics that expose the social and economic chasm between the city's black and white residents, and paints a horrific picture of black life in some of the city's neighborhoods.

Here are some of the low lights:

• The median household income for blacks is $26,728, compared to $42,279 for whites—a difference of more than $15,000.
• The unemployment rate for blacks is 9.9 percent, more than twice that of whites.
• Only 53 percent of blacks own their homes, compared to 64 percent of whites, and their property values are less—a difference of almost $100,000.
• Thirty-two percent of blacks live in poverty, which is twice as many as whites.
• Only 14 percent of black high school students are proficient in reading and only 10 percent are proficient in math—less than half as many as white students.
• Twice as many blacks are uninsured.
• Blacks are five times more likely to be murdered.

The grim disparities go on and on...

But in addition to ringing the alarm, the report points to a laundry list of common sense solutions. Thing is, we've always known the who, what and where. It only thing perpetually missing is our collective will.

Many of the responses I received to my column about the report point to individual responsibility. Some readers dismissed the measures as a black problem. One person even wrote that black people are just plain lazy.

Such attitudes still find a way to amaze me, that somehow people use them to bolster racial stereotypes. In reality, these statistics represent a social phenomenon, fueled by racism, that withstands simply pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. For some of the city's residents every thing surrounding them points to failure: blighted neighborhoods, inferior schools, no jobs, random violence, no access to healthcare or healthy food.

When we look at our education system, a student can take responsibility for his education and go to school everyday, yet he will still come out with an inferior education. Statistics show that blacks graduate from high school with the same level of education as white 8th graders. That black high school student can graduate with honors and still not get accepted into college or find a meaningful job.

Until we see these conditions as a social phenomenon; until we talk openly and honestly about racism, which is at the heart of these statistics, and the damage it has done and continues to do; until we talk about individual responsibility, and empower individuals to be responsible; until we start investing in young, black men, beyond the millions we pour into the criminal justice system; until we see that racial equality is in everyone's self-interest; until our moral responsibility leads to action instead of apathy, because crime can only be contained in so-called bad neighborhoods for so long. And even though blacks are doing worse than whites in this city, whites, particularly white students aren't faring well either. Until we stop seeing this as a black problem or a neighborhood problem, things won't only not the same same, they'll get worse.

Related Stories:
A Black-and-White Issue.
by Kia Gregory. Philadelphia Weekly. 12/12/07

Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane.
With Patricia Coulter of the Urban League of Philadelphia, Kia Gregory who writes for the Philadelphia Weekly, and Phoebe Haddon, professor of law at Temple. 12/18/07

(Photo credit: Jeff Fusco)