new white flight

n.

The migration of whites to areas or states that are not racially diverse and that have relatively low rates of crime and other social ills.

Example Citation:

Are these revitalization efforts merely instances of a new ''white flight?''

— Terry L. Kennedy, "Preservation or exclusionary tactic?," News and Record, July 9, 1999

Earliest Citation:

"In the past, we had whites leaving neighborhoods and cities," said Frey, an expert on race and migration. "In the current situation, we have whites leaving entire states and regions in response not only to the new racial and ethnic diversity, but also the urban and economic problems that accompany turbulent demographic change." The stage for this new white flight of unprecedented sweep was set by a decade of unsurpassed immigration.

— Jonathan Tilove and Joe Hallinan, "Immigrants spur latest white flight," The Times-Picayune, August 8, 1993

Notes:

This phrase was popularized by demographer William H. Frey in his classic article "The New White Flight," published in the April, 1994 issue of American Demographics magazine, although the first use of the term predates this article (see below). The quotation that opens this cite is from Dr. Frey. However, the phrase new white flight is used by the authors. It's not clear from the context whether they might have heard this term from Dr. Frey or whether they coined it on their own.

Related Words:

doughnut pattern

hyperwhite

real estate refugees

retail leakage

rural rebound

ruralpolitan

Categories:

Demographics

Race