Los Angeles has dropped from the 5th to the 6th largest Black population in the United States. African Americans migrated to California mainly during the 2 great Black migrations from the South. Although the migration moved most northward, thousands of Blacks from the central southern states like Louisiana, East Texas, and Arkansas moved west to the Golden State for better lives and...

...opportunities. The majority of African Americans in this metropolitan area live south of downtown in adjacent neighborhoods and cities. The neighborhoods of Los Angeles include Baldwin Hills, South Los Angeles (formerly South Central), and Watts. And also the cities of Compton, Carson, Inglewood and Long Beach.

The migration pattern from Los Angeles has followed the same pattern as the urban areas of the Northeast and Midwest. Many who are able and/or educated have left for the south seeking better opportunities and a higher standard of living.