Black Flight

The Blackest Cities (Infoplease 2000)
Gary, Indiana 84.0%
Detroit, Mich. 81.6%
Birmingham, Ala. 73.5%
Jackson, Miss. 70.6%
New Orleans, LA 67%.3
Baltimore, MD 64.%3
Atlanta, GA 61.4%
Memphis, Tenn. 61.4%
Washington, D.C. 60.0%
Richmond, VA 57.2%

The Best Places For Blacks To Live (Black Enterprise 2004)
1 Atlanta, GA
2 Washington, D.C.
3 Dallas, Texas
4 Nashville, Tenn
5 Houston, Texas
6 Charlotte, NC
7 Birmingham, Ala
8 Memphis, Tenn
9 Columbus, Ohio
10 Baltimore, MD

Atlanta, Washington D.C., Birmingham, Memphis, and Baltimore make both lists.
Only half of the Blackest Cities also are good places for Blacks (or any others) to live.
So it would appear that being a "Chocolate City" isn't necessarily the main qualification for being the best place to live.

What is the difference between the Black Cities that make both lists and those that don't?
The presence of Black people doesn't seem to make or break a city - so what does?
IMO- White Flight was largely accompanied by Black Flight - when most of the better educated and more financially, socially and culturally stable residents moved to the more affluent sprawling suburbs to chase the American Dream.
This left only those who were unable (or unwilling) to do better in cities that may have once flourished.

Just look at the hood.
Many of these areas were once thriving communities.
But what changed?
As more people became exposed to a life better than what they were used to - many decided to pursue that life.
This left those without means (or volition) to make the best out of what others left behind.
As these areas became more depressed and affordable - they attracted others who were without means.
In other words - The hood created (and grew) itself.

So... Can the hood (or these cities) be saved?
Are they worth saving?