Williamsport and The Black Community

This is intended to provide a look at the differences and the similarity between people of various racial and/or ethinic groups. I will focus on the city of Williamsport, Pa. According to Magaw (2006), "the black community is just as diverse as the white community. There are just as many different economic classes, political views, regligious affiliations, and general viewpoints in the black community as in the white community." In a community where the majority rules there tend to be some resentment toward the so called outsiders that are different and decides to move into the area.

In today's society one will find that more communities are of mix cultures. I currently live in a community which is mostly made up of approximately 85.7% White with African-Americans making up aprroximately  10.6% of the community. Just like any other community in this country there is a mix of different ethinc groups, and we tend to have our share of problems to contend with.The community has a makeup of German, Italian, African-American, and Hispanics just to mention a few.

When I first arrived to the area back in January of 1991, I was constantly asked if I was part of the influx. At the time I had no ideal what they were asking of me, of course my answer was "No." I did not let on that I did not have any ideal of how the word and/or term, "influx" related to me. I knew what the word meant, just a little confused about the correlation to me. I would have to say that it was very puzzling to me. However, I did find out later on how the word "influx" had related to me. As I mentioned before, I came here to the area January 1991. At the time of my arrival, I did know that this area had a number of drug rehabitation programs in the area. I also was able to find out there has been an "influx" (there's that word) of minorities from Philadelphia, New York, and NewJersey for the drug programs. Thus, the term "influx" was used by both whites and minorities in the area.  So being new to the area and black, they assumed that I was here for the drug rehaitation programs. However, that was not the reason that I came to this area. Over time that term vanished from the local vocabulary.

To be continued, so stay tuned, there is more to come.....