The Residential Segregation of Blacks in Flint [Michigan], 1950-1970. Revised.

This study presents quantitative evidence that the inability of blacks to pay for housing in white residential areas in Flint, Michigan is not the major cause of black residential segregation. The following questions are asked: (1) Has black residential segregation in Flint remained at a high level from 1950 to 1970? (2) Has the trend in black residential segregation in Flint been one of continuous increase through time? (3) What census tracts have been the most segregated? (4) What types of racial change have occurred? and (5) How much black residential segregation can be explained by housing costs inequality? In this study a high level of segregation is arbitrarily defined as a racial population change index above 50 percent. That is, Flint has a high level of segregation if more than half of its population of either race would have to change residence to make it zero percent segregated, or non-segregated. Comparison of spatial distributions of blacks and whites show that a high level of black residential segregation existed in Flint from 1950 to 1970--above 50 percent; there were actual decreases in the level of black residential segregation over the 20 year period; and there have been decreases in certain areas of Flint and increases in others. Correlation and regression analysis demonstrated that 26 percent of the black residential segregation that existed could be explained by housing cost inequality between blacks and whites in 1950; 7 percent in 1960; and 3 percent in 1970. (Author/DE)