This is due to the great migration and the Black church. Their parents and grandparents left places like Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee and moved to Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Gary and other Midwestern cities for better opportunities. In places like Detroit, they found it. https://twitter.com/SangoBeats/status/1378878607053950980

I love talking about Black American migration patterns after emancipation. It's why Black folks in Chicago have southern accents. Those people likely have cousins in places like Memphis & Jackson.

Black Americans from California especially the L.A. area kin are likely from New Orleans. Again, they've retained their southern accent.

Black Americans from New York whose ancestors were enslaved in the United States kin are usually from Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia.

Black Americans from Detroit, their kin are usually from Alabama, Mississippi. I could go on.

This is why it is important to know that regardless of where you are, if you're Black American and even Black Canadians (Nova Scotia) you have cousins in the south.

I forgot to mention Little Rock. Black Americans after emancipation went west to Texas, Oklahoma, & north to Chicago and Detroit. My family went to New York City. My grandparents still retained their accents. It's why I have mine mixed with New Yorker when I'm not code switching.

Black Chicago = Mississippi Northern Extended Campus
You can't tell me nothing different. They are the most northern southern folks I've ever met. Black Detroit is up there.

One day we should get some Black Chicago & Black Detroit historians to discuss the Black middle class that was created there & how racism systematically tried to detroy Black wealth. Oklahoma wasn't the only place & violence wasn't the only tool. Laws, highways & taxes were used.