By having the National Conference of Black Mayors convention here this week, some say Columbus is evolving into a metropolis that is attractive to blacks in the same way as cities such as Atlanta, Houston and Washington.
The mayors conference, which runs Wednesday through Saturday at the Hyatt Regency, will bring 1,500 people to town, including 539 black mayors from across the country and celebrities including actresses Vivica A. Fox and Cicely Tyson,
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and actor/rapper Mos Def. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., also will attend.
By having the eyes and ears of some of the most influential blacks here, Columbus is poised to raise its profile among blacks nationally, said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. "It is an honor to receive people from all over the country to see for themselves why Columbus is being recognized for so many good things.
"They can take it back home and say, 'I was in this great city, and not only did I have a good time but it's a progressive city that is going places.' ''
In 2001, Black Entertainment Television named Columbus as the top city for black families, and last July Columbus was among Black Enterprise magazine's top 10 cities for blacks. At No. 9, it was the only Midwestern city on the list.
Columbus is attractive to blacks because the city is strong in areas that would attract anyone, Coleman said. "We have a strong track record on housing, poverty levels, business opportunities, employment opportunities.
"In every single category, we are doing better than many cities.''
Census data also reflect Columbus' growing popularity among blacks, who make up 24 percent of the city's residents. The city's black population grew from 142,748 in 1990 to 174,065 in 2000. That was a 22 percent increase, while the city's overall population grew 12.4 percent.
A job opportunity brought Earl Jennings from Princeton, N.J., to Columbus in 1999. But quality-of-life issues have kept him here, he said.
"Living in Princeton and working on Wall Street, my commute on a good day was an hour and a half,'' said Jennings, 52. "Now it's 10 minutes.''
Meeting up with members of his black fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, for community projects also has helped him feel connected to Columbus.
"You feel like you are living in a community that is making a lot of great effort to make it a better place to live,'' he said.
Blacks hold top leadership positions, with Coleman, Police Chief James G. Jackson, Fire Chief Ned Pettus and Columbus schools Superintendent Gene Harris.
The magazine and television rankings are catching the attention of black meeting planners and black tourists, said Joe Marinelli, senior vice president of sales for Experience Columbus, the city's tourism office. "The city is at the very beginning in emerging as a city that appeals to more African-American groups.
"We weave the BET and Black Enterprise message into all of the marketing. We're starting to see the early stages in results for that.''
The mayors conference is expected to pump $1.5 million into the city. Columbus won it through a two-year bidding process.
In April 2007, the National Society of Black Engineers convention is expected to bring 11,000 people to town, Marinelli said.
The city is talking to Omega Psi Phi, a black fraternity, about holding its national convention here. The group held its regional convention in Columbus last May. And Columbus is competing to be the 2007 site of the Black American Softball World Series. The event was held here last year and in 2003, attracting 7,000 people each year.
In addition, the city showcases its black heritage in tourism packages sent to trade journals and gatherings for black meeting planners. The King Arts Complex and the Kelton House, a home of abolitionists Fernando and Sophia Kelton and a stop on the Underground Railroad, are listed as must-see sights for blacks.
Brownstone on Main, a Downtown restaurant and lounge that features jazz and R & B singers and musicians, also is highlighted in tourism literature and has become a hot spot among black professionals.
Annual events that appeal to blacks, such as the Rib & Jazz Festival and the Juneteenth Festival, also show that Columbus embraces its diversity, said Omowale Crowder, a partner with IN8 inner-prizes, a Columbus company that specializes in event planning.
But as Columbus works to adopt a sophisticated urban image, its residents also must support events and establishments if the perception is to be maintained, Crowder said.
"Support and organization, that is what Columbus needs to get where we want to get faster.''
sherri.williams@dispatch.com
Columbus Townhall > Forum > Politics > Local (Moderators: Peter, CTH Public Relations)
Topic: Mike Coleman and Louis Farrakhan
