▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁formation ▁of ▁African - American ▁neighborhood s ▁is ▁closely ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁seg reg ation ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁either ▁through ▁formal ▁laws , ▁or ▁as ▁a ▁product ▁of ▁social ▁norm s . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁African - American ▁neighborhood s ▁have ▁played ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁nearly ▁all ▁aspects ▁of ▁both ▁African - American ▁culture ▁and ▁bro ader ▁American ▁culture . ▁ ▁We alth y ▁African - American ▁communities ▁ ▁Many ▁aff lu ent ▁African - American ▁communities ▁exist ▁today , ▁including ▁the ▁following : ▁Wood more , ▁Maryland ; ▁Hill c rest , ▁Rock land ▁County , ▁New ▁York ; ▁Red an ▁and ▁Cas cade ▁He ights , ▁Georgia ; ▁Mitchell ville , ▁Maryland ; ▁Missouri ▁City , ▁Texas ; ▁Des oto , ▁Texas ; ▁Qu in by , ▁South ▁Carolina ; ▁Forest ▁Park , ▁Oklahoma ; ▁Mount ▁Air y , ▁Philadelphia , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁Gh ett os ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁seg reg ated ▁conditions ▁and ▁w ides p read ▁pover ty , ▁some ▁African - American ▁neighborhood s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁have ▁been ▁called ▁" gh ett os ". ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁this ▁term ▁is ▁controvers ial ▁and , ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁context , ▁potentially ▁off ensive . ▁Despite ▁main stream ▁America ' s ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁" gh etto " ▁to ▁sign ify ▁a ▁poor ▁urban ▁area ▁populated ▁by ▁eth nic ▁minor ities , ▁those ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁often ▁used ▁it ▁to ▁sign ify ▁something