First, size matters. DC is comparatively smaller than other cities land wise. Approx 68 miles and close to 700,000 population, a lot of people in a small space. White people typically go for the yard, pool, and picket fence-type space offered by the “burbs.” Not in DC.

Historically, DC was built by Black people. Black people were domestics in a very small town with lots of white aristocrates who needed indentured servants. DC was also a labor town with a Navy Yard, a shipyard, a train yard, a military college and a Pentagon that needed building. DC had museums, the White House, Supreme Court, The US Capitol and every government building and bridge in the city that also needed to be built. Civilian and military hospitals, 2-air force bases, a marine barrack, CIA and Arlington Cemetery all built by…not the AWG.

In those days, it was Blacks who actually “lived and worked” in DC. DC a gathering place, a dump. Can you imagine George Washington or Thomas Jefferson building their own private resident in DC (two of the richest Presidents in history) on skid row? Not likely. Have you visited Mount Vernon or Monticello? That’s why so many Blacks in DC.

DC is neither north or south but at the center of the Mason-Dixon Line. Who else but people of African ancestry would build the city they can not own or vote in. Certainly today’s developers and labor wage workers weren’t responsible for building DC. The city was built on the backs of black slaves and continued to thrive because of local black workers and indentured servants needed to be close. The pay is still great and the living easy.

Black domestics have been replaced with another ethnic group and not so popular these days. But My grandmothers and great grandmothers before them, were all domestics. My grandfather and his brothers all come up from Virginia to work the Navy Yard and the train yard and the shipyards. Blacks in my family built sewers, bridges, railroads, water and underground systems and every job imaginable that the white aristocrate would not do. The average farmer did not live in DC. It was the black man’s town when the sun went down!

The pace was a bit slower for working families in DC. But the night life and entertainment was gay, lively and profitable. I’m told the pay was more than they could make anywhere else besides NY. In my experience, for a fact these are ligitimate reasons so many Blacks in DC compared to other cities.

Besides, gentrification fixed the problem of “so many Blacks in Washington, DC.” You May have heard or even noticed, DC is no longer a “Chocolate City.”

Professor Twyman responded: No such thing as a stupid question:

You opened a can of worms on this one. There are almost as many reasons as “why there are so many Blacks in Washington, DC, compared to other major cities.”

First, size matters. DC is comparatively smaller than other cities land wise. Approx 68 miles and close to 700,000 population, a lot of people in a small space. White people typically go for the yard, pool, and picket fence-type space offered by the “burbs.” Not in DC.

Historically, DC was built by Black people. Black people were domestics in a very small town with lots of white aristocrates who needed indentured servants. DC was also a labor town with a Navy Yard, a shipyard, a train yard, a military college and a Pentagon that needed building. DC had museums, the White House, Supreme Court, The US Capitol and every government building and bridge in the city that also needed to be built. Civilian and military hospitals, 2-air force bases, a marine barrack, CIA and Arlington Cemetery all built by…not the AWG.

In those days, it was Blacks who actually “lived and worked” in DC. DC a gathering place, a dump. Can you imagine George Washington or Thomas Jefferson building their own private resident in DC (two of the richest Presidents in history) on skid row? Not likely. Have you visited Mount Vernon or Monticello? That’s why so many Blacks in DC.

DC is neither north or south but at the center of the Mason-Dixon Line. Who else but people of African ancestry would build the city they can not own or vote in. Certainly today’s developers and labor wage workers weren’t responsible for building DC. The city was built on the backs of black slaves and continued to thrive because of local black workers and indentured servants needed to be close. The pay is still great and the living easy.

Black domestics have been replaced with another ethnic group and not so popular these days. But My grandmothers and great grandmothers before them, were all domestics. My grandfather and his brothers all come up from Virginia to work the Navy Yard and the train yard and the shipyards. Blacks in my family built sewers, bridges, railroads, water and underground systems and every job imaginable that the white aristocrate would not do. The average farmer did not live in DC. It was the black man’s town when the sun went down!

The pace was a bit slower for working families in DC. But the night life and entertainment was gay, lively and profitable. I’m told the pay was more than they could make anywhere else besides NY. In my experience, for a fact these are ligitimate reasons so many Blacks in DC compared to other cities.

Besides, gentrification fixed the problem of “so many Blacks in Washington, DC.” You May have heard or even noticed, DC is no longer a “Chocolate City.”

Plus we were not slaves so why should we be paid now? How much? When? Why us? And I would venture to say most “black” people do not know their heritage beyond Grandmama. Stop looking for a handout and make things happen for you today.