Introducing Richmond
Richmond, former capital of the Confederacy, now seems like a poster-city for melting-pot America. Interracial couples are everywhere, and the city balances hipster cred with one of the most vibrant African American communities in the country. Of course, the attractive veneer of diversity cracks soon enough into ugly income disparities; most African American neighborhoods seem depressed compared with upmarket areas on the East and West ends of the center. This town also grapples with memorializing its controversial history. But in the end Richmond is welcoming, warm and offers the chance to witness an almost unique phenomenon: the gradual absorption of a traditional Southern city into the international milieu of the Northeast Corridor.
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Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
