Where do you go if you're a Black homesteader

If anyone remembers the 62 cat move of our friend to North Carolina, it was near Fairmont. Here is some information from a web site giving details on the town. From what I understand there aren't a lot of jobs right there, but if you are homesteading and don't need one it might be a nice place. I'm pretty sure it's in the Eastern part of the state.

Races in Fairmont:

Black (58.7%)
White Non-Hispanic (30.3%)
American Indian (10.2%)
Hispanic (0.6%)

Nomad

Sounds like you're getting some good advice. I live in rural eastern Alabama. Along our dirt road, on the mile between our house and the nearest paved road, are two families of local Blacks, two families of local Whites, and one family of White Yankees (who have lived here a long time, but will always be yankee as long as they retain their accents ). We all get along well. None of us consider ourselves homesteaders--just rural people with gardens and animals. Our town is quite small, but there are always a number of Black (and White) farmers selling produce under a great oak tree in the middle of town. I can't speak with any knowledge on the level of local racism. I can only say that Black farmers are not at all unusual.

Here in Mississippi we keep the Californians and New Yorkers away by telling them that we are down only about 1 lynching per week. Mississippi is rural and church going which means that most of the bad people aren't especially MEAN when they steal from you.

I've observed that what people think is racism is often really cultural suspicion. Most blacks and whites have different cultural norms. However, either can live in and get along well in the other's areas as long as they follow the cultural dictates. Suspicions subside when you fit in and people see that you are a good neighbor.

I would say, if you are good people, you would be accepted just about anywhere. I would think that Va, NC, SC, Ga would be the best picks for race mixture that get along. Near big cities would just push your girls into the bad areas. IMO

Hi Sancraft, we are in W. WA and just bought a large chunk of land for our future homestead in a tiny place called Quilcene. It's straight west from Seattle, about 50 miles or so. DH is 1/2 Korean (looks full Korean). When we started visiting the local stores, we got into conversation with a Korean grocery store owner. He and his wife and son have lived there for 20 years. They were the only non-white folk in this town, and he preferred it that way! Not that he wasn't happy to meet us, he was. So, being a pioneer and a good neighbor can a good thing!

I know if you watch tv Alabama would be the last place you'd pick but in the north part of the state there is a huge diversity in race and a pretty strong job market, low property taxes and in my life (28) I have never witnessed any hostility towards another race for that reason. Now there are ocassionally the harmless old redneck idiot that might run his mouth a little but no one takes them seriously. Even the church I attend is about 60/40 and that is of about 1800 so I talking maybe 6-800 non white members. I must say a few months ago I watched a pbs special on Martin Luther King and was completly shocked and apalled at what took place less than 50 years ago!!!!! It was totally barbaric and I guess I have lived a sheltered life because I had no idea what actually took place. But back on the subject virtually every part of north Al is extremely diversified and I feel you would be totally welcomed in any number of areas.

Come on up to western WA! In fact -- buy the piece of land next to ours!

This link gives a map of hate groups in the US. We used it when buying our 21 acres. http://www.tolerance.org/maps/hate/index.html Happy homestead hunting.

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Everything works, if you let it.

Welcome to W PA. We have a diverse population. You would be welcomed in our area with pleasure and acceptance.

Sorry to hear you are having trouble finding your homestead in Georgia. I have a friend in his 60's that goes home once or twice a year in Georgia. He said it is a given that he gets pulled over after he crosses the state line. As soon as they see a black man driving a nice car with out of state plates....bam! Once he tells them where he is originally from they treat him better. Still, what a terrible thing to have to live with. Things change so slowly.....

I think that's about right! But caution is still advised, especially if there are children involved.

It's sad that a black person must still be concerned about safety when moving to certain areas. My immediate area is not one I'd recommend for a black family. While I(and probably most of my neighbors) would welcome you, I can't vouch for all of the narrow-minded rednecks around. From what I hear, this area used to be extremely racist. But one county over you'd probably be just fine.

I actually would not recommend the Southeast at all. I was a "carnie" for a couple of years, and the most racist places were in the south. The Myrtle Beach area attitudes disgusted me. If I'm white and noticed it, then blacks must really feel the tension.

I would guess that the northeast(I'm unfamiliar with the west coast) would be a good bet. I'm thinking central NY, where I'm originally from- close to one of the smaller cities like Oneonta, Ithaca, Cortland or possibly Cobleskill. People will still look at you funny for a while, but only because it's unusual to see a black face in a farming community - don't take it personally.

Good luck in your search, I'm sure you'll find someplace to call home!

central kentucky, believe it or not.

Wildwood Florida is another place where the blacks out number the whites, also the spanish, thats 32 choises so far, does any of them interest you? Any where you go you will find that the white ones have self policed themselves into a more liberal place in the system, more liberal for all. I had a black man drag me 125 yards to safety in VN, I gained respect from what I was taught as a child via observation from older people in that era. Maybe because I drug his bro about the same a couple of weeks earlier, its a two way street, take the journey, we will all be better for it.

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I am made sad by the need to ask the question, yet understand why you must consider the possible results of a bad choice of a homeplace for you and your daughters. Like you, I see the world as it is and therefore cannot provide a satisfactory answer. I'm in the process of moving to a new place myself where I hardly know my neighbors much less what lies within their hearts. From reading a few of your posts, I belive I would enjoy having your family as neighbors....Glen

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I was kind of hoping to stay south, although I was considering WA too. I think I will continue to look here in GA, TN and NC. How is the weather in OR?

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Sometimes the last minute is the best one.

Greetings from Montana! While we do not have very many black americans here...there are a few. You are more than welcome to move here to the mountain I live on. There is even some land for sale, the winters are harsh but the summers make up for it! Dont give up, God gave us all differences that make others look at us strangely sometimes!

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www.MontanaSticksAndStones.com at Goshen Farm

Hey tell everyone you are full blood Cherokee or Creek indian. That's what some of them do around here. But I think they do it more for tribal funds than for safety. I think around here in my area you might be perty safe although there is a KKK club about an hours drive away. As far as I know of all they do is gripe about all the mexicans taking away the jobs. Low paying jobs that they wouldn't touch themselves. We do have a black man in our church. He and his two daughters have been members of our church for a long time. But he does live 25 miles away in a sizable town. He drives all the way out to our little country church every Sunday.

I add my vote to NC as well. We live in northern Orange County (near Raleigh-Durham). Overall, we have a population of about 14% black, but that's somewhat deceptive since we have a bigger black population in the northern part of the county as opposed to the southern part. In Hillsborough (northern Orange County), our black population is right about 35%.

Land in northern Orange is still affordable, although getting less so. Other counties around here that would be good to look at include Person and Alamance, both of which are very affordable in terms of land.

Let us know how your search goes. And I will match Meg's offer of some chickens as a housewarming present if you move out our way.

Sandra
I just checked out that hate groups map.

You need to go live out where my Mom and Dad live., upper square in NW Texas. Above Amarillo and West of Dumas. Of course there's no tress to speak of, lots of misquite, and I have heard virtually no grass unless you water it to growth....

But looks clear on the map.

AngieM2

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On the coast of Oregon and Washington, you will find a lot of rain. It doesn't usually get very hot, nor overly cold. As you go east, it is dryer and the weather gets more extreme. Colder in the winter, lots hotter in the summer.

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i'll put in another vote for east TN. i live in a county that has a reputation for being really redneck. i can tell you that certain parts of this county are less tolerant than others. i am white, and have a black child in my home. i left my last home because of racist neighbors who moved in. but in the section of the county i am in now, there are good folks, who don't mind the color of his skin (isn't that stupid? to hate someone because of something so out of their control as skin color? like hating all red heads or people with blue eyes)anyway, it's cool here, and you are welcome. pm for details, if you like.:-)