Thanks for this article. I think there were a couple of other factors that played a role in the decrease of Black population in CH between '60-'80. As a native Chapel Hillian who was in elementary school in 1960 I have thought about this topic myself over the years. My thoughts are that a number of changes impacted the demographics of CH, in large part by bringing into town many Whites who were originally from outside of the area. RTP opened in 1960. By around 1965 the influx of people from outside of CH was really noticeable. These new people were almost entirely white. Around the same time, with the passage of the Civil Rts Acts and the end of segregated schools, and, in addition, the advent of widespread use of air conditioning, I believe that CH became a more "acceptable" place for non-southern whites to move. By 1980 widespread air travel allowed people to move here who could work from anywhere and used Chapel Hill as their home base. Chapel Hill changed from the "village" of my childhood to a place to which wealthier people came from throughout the country- Most of these people being White.
Thanks for this article. I think there were a couple of other factors that played a role in the decrease of Black population in CH between '60-'80. As a native Chapel Hillian who was in elementary school in 1960 I have thought about this topic myself over the years. My thoughts are that a number of changes impacted the demographics of CH, in large part by bringing into town many Whites who were originally from outside of the area. RTP opened in 1960. By around 1965 the influx of people from outside of CH was really noticeable. These new people were almost entirely white. Around the same time, with the passage of the Civil Rts Acts and the end of segregated schools, and, in addition, the advent of widespread use of air conditioning, I believe that CH became a more "acceptable" place for non-southern whites to move. By 1980 widespread air travel allowed people to move here who could work from anywhere and used Chapel Hill as their home base. Chapel Hill changed from the "village" of my childhood to a place to which wealthier people came from throughout the country- Most of these people being White.