The changing face of race in Philadelphia

Hour 1

The 2010 census revealed that Philadelphia’s population grew for the first time in 50 years with the influx of nearly 97,000 Asian and Hispanic immigrants who arrived in the city in the last 10 years. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has been ranked the 9^th-most segregated metro area in the country, up from 13^th last year. The level of segregation between blacks and whites has been declining at a slower rate since the 1990s as suburban whites leave inner suburbs for those further away, and blacks and Latinos occupy the older, inner ring of suburbs. As a result, tax revenue and jobs are leaving the city, creating larger disparities between inner-city and suburban public services, including the school systems. Today we’ll talk about what Philadelphia’s changing racial composition means for city politics and the economy. What is behind the trend? What does Philadelphia need to do to adjust? Our guests are THOMAS SUGRUE, Professor of History and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, and CAMILLE CHARLES, Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Africana Studies.

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[audio: 041411_100630.mp3]