The Top 10 Cities for African American Professionals series is back this week with city number seven. The list delivers information such as crime rate, ask employment opportunities, link and institutions of higher education of a city. The purpose of this list is to provide people with an opportunity to receive an overview of the city without looking all over the internet.
Last week, cialis New York City was in the spotlight. Urban Views Weekly looked into the nation’s largest city and saw that it was a city that had a lot to offer African Americans. The city ranks as one of the top places for competitive salaries. It also has a very young HBCU in Medgar Evers College, which provides young people of color with the tools needed to succeed. This week, the spotlight is on Charlotte, a large up-and-coming city in North Carolina.
The list:
- Washington, D.C.
- Houston, Texas
- Atlanta, Ga.
- Dallas, Texas
- Raleigh, N.C.
- New York City, N.Y.
- Charlotte, N.C.
- Indianapolis, Ind.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Jacksonville, Fla.
Info and numbers from cities taken from the United States Census Bureau website (census.gov) and city-data.com.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Gender percentage: Female 51.7 percent, Male 48.3
Median Age: 33.2 years old
Percentage of African Americans: 35 percent
North Carolina’s largest city also happens to be the seventeenth largest city in the nation. It is also known as the Queen City because it, as well as its adjoining county, was named after Queen Charlotte of Mecklenberg. Charlotte, like two other cities on the list is considered a world city because of its role in world economics. Charlotte is home to two big international banks: Bank of America and the eastern operations of Wells Fargo. It is the second largest financial center behind New York.
What makes Charlotte different from other big cities is that it is host to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) basketball tournament and will be for the next six years, according to an article in the Miami Herald. Like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament, the CIAA tournament is the main basketball event for historically black colleges and universities in division two basketball. The event is big for HBCUs because it’s a chance for the school to show their athletic and school pride, as well as how dedicated alumni are to their respective programs.
Percentage of those with Bachelor’s Degree or higher: 39.4 percent
Charlotte isn’t home to many colleges, but the few that they have are quality institutions that prepare students for the professional world. Johnson C. Smith University is the only historically black school in Charlotte. According to Kate Marcus, Assistant Director of JCSU communications and marketing, the school has a prestigious STEM program. This means that their Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics School is very competitive and prepares students to work in the fields of renewable energy, medical informatics, and analytics and cyber security.
Their website states that they are partially funded by the Department of Defense, which means they receive federal funding to make their students that much more competitive. Kate Marcus also said that the sustainability village and aquaponics garden on campus is what makes the school different. “The new program will integrate academic coursework, research, service learning and experiential education opportunities to enhance student understanding of sustainable development, community food systems and alternative lifestyles that promote conservation,” the JCSU website states.
Average Salary: $52,916
Top Industries (according to Forbes.com): Financial services, Motorsports, Energy
In 2013, The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce distributes a diversity publication to minority-owned businesses across the country. The publication is a part of the Charlotte Minority Economic Development Initiative. This program began in July 2011 when the Charlotte chamber and the Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council teamed up to bring minority business enterprises (MBEs) and corporate sponsors together in order to help these minority businesses flourish. As mentioned before, Charlotte is a “world city,” meaning it plays a crucial role in the global economy. The fact that initiatives like this began to bring more business to minority operations shows that the city really does care about its citizens, businesses and their owners.
Crime Rate (total per 1,000 people): 48.70
Charlotte has made lists, but not for crime. It has been ranked in the top five cities where Americans are relocating, as the number three city in a Forbes magazine list. However, that’s not to say that the city doesn’t have its share of crimes. In 2013, Charlotte had 4,938 violent crimes and 30,679 property crimes. In terms of violent crimes, Charlotte had 48 murders, 214 rapes, 1,658 robberies and 3,018 assaults.
In conclusion …
Charlotte is an up-and-coming city. While already a large city, it is growing even more. According to a 2009 MSN article on the city, people are relocating there more and more. There’s great reason too. The city cares for minority business. Officials know that they’ll be getting the best business if they include minority businesses as well. The city also cares about preparing young employees through its great institutions of higher learning. As for things to do in the city, basketball fans will have something to do annually for the next six years because Charlotte will be hosting the CIAA tournament. Residents know that being a part of this city, they are making a difference in not only North Carolina but world affairs as well.
