“A lie can spread halfway around the world before the truth has time to get its pants on.”
- Winston Churchill
Lately, we have been bombarded with messages from the media and politicians that have been blatantly false about African Americans. As a statistics junky, I want you to know the truth! No, African Americans are not the majority of people on welfare. African Americans do have a higher proportion compared to our population of people who collect SNAP. No, African American women are not desperate and lonely. We are not the largest unmarried group in America. The largest unmarried group in America are Black males. We do not have litters of children and most of us are professionals. A majority of African American sisters and brothers from overseas are Latino. Yes, unlike what the Spanish speaking media wants to project, there are Afro Latinos.
We are patriotic hard working doctors, lawyers, businessmen, parents, superstars, grandparents, politicians, teachers, and ordinary folks just trying to be the best us we can be.
Ster•e•o•type: Sociology. a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group (dictionary.com)
So you are wondering why these stereotypes are used when there are facts that dispute them. Well in America, the colonist had to find a way to justify the inhumane treatment of Africans and first Americans. Remember, stereotypes are tools used to justify bigotry and project a false sense of superiority of the perpetrator and inferiority upon the victim. Stereotypes are also tools used by lazy people who refuse to think! All it takes is a simple internet search to look up the data. I am providing a lot of data and I know this is overwhelming but that is the point. There is so much information out there to prove some folks wrong that I am willing to post it. When you know who you really are you become empowered. This is data coming from the U.S government (the latest 2010 United States Census). So here are some statistics:
- “From 2002 to 2007, the number of black-owned businesses increased by 60.5 percent to 1.9 million, more than triple the national rate of 18% according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners. Over the same period, receipts generated by black-owned businesses increased 55.1% to $137.5 billion.” ~ Survey of Business Owners: Black-Owned Businesses: 2007
- College enrollment jumped increased by 1.7 million increase since 1990 ~ School Enrollment
- 44% of all Black families were married couples. ~ U.S Census
- 37% of all black-owned businesses in 2007 were in health care and social assistance, repair and maintenance and personal and laundry services. ~ 2007 Survey of Business Owners
As of 2010, African Americans are 13.6% of the population.
Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010
2010 Census table DP-1
2010 Demographic Profile Data
|
Population by race |
||
| Race And Hispanic Or Latino Origin Of Householder | Number | Percentage |
| White | 231,040,398 | 74.8% |
| Black or African American | 42,020,743 | 13.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 5,220,579 | 1.7% |
| Asian | 17,320,856 | 5.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 1,225,195 | 0.4% |
| Some other race | 21,748,084 | 7.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 50,477,594 | 16.3% |
Source: U.S. Census, Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010
African Americans are not the majority of people on welfare.
|
Households receiving food stamps |
|
| RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ORIGIN OF HOUSEHOLDER | Percentage |
| One race | 97.3% |
| White | 61.0% |
| Black or African American | 26.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5% |
| Asian | 2.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.2% |
| Some other race | 6.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 20.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 48.5% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% |
Source: Census.gov 2010 U.S. Census table S2201
The data below is from the 2010 U.S. Census table S0201.
Selected Population Profile In The United States (Black Alone)
2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates (Link)
There are more African American women then there are African American men.
| Sex and Age-African American | |
| SEX AND AGE | Percentage |
| Total population | 38,874,625 |
| Male | 47.6% |
| Female | 52.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Almost 18% of African American family households are headed by females with children under 18. The average African American family household has 3.4 people.
|
African American Households |
|
| Total Households | 13,738,492 |
| Family households | 63.6% |
| -With own children under 18 years | 32.6% |
| Married-couple family | 27.8% |
| -With own children under 18 years | 12.1% |
| Female householder, no husband present, family | 29.8% |
| -With own children under 18 years | 17.6% |
| Average household size | 2.69 |
| Average family size | 3.44 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Twenty nine percent of African Americans are married. Half of African American males have never been married and 46.7% of African American females have never been married. Over 10% of all African American males are divorced and 13.5% of African American females are divorced.
| African American Marital Status | |
| Population 15 years and over | 30,106,985 |
| Now married, except separated | 29.3% |
| Widowed | 5.9% |
| Divorced | 12.1% |
| Separated | 4.4% |
| Never married | 48.3% |
| Male 15 years and over | 14,055,177 |
| Now married, except separated | 33.0% |
| Widowed | 2.6% |
| Divorced | 10.4% |
| Separated | 3.9% |
| Never married | 50.1% |
| Female 15 years and over | 16,051,808 |
| Now married, except separated | 26.0% |
| Widowed | 8.9% |
| Divorced | 13.5% |
| Separated | 4.9% |
| Never married | 46.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Almost 30% of African Americans are enrolled in a post secondary program. Over 22% percent of African American males are enrolled in college or graduate school and 34% of African American females are enrolled in a college or graduate school.
|
African American School Enrollment |
|
| Population 3 years and over enrolled in school | 12,395,089 |
| Total college or graduate school | 28.7% |
| Male - Percent enrolled in college or graduate school | 22.7% |
| Female - Percent enrolled in college or graduate school | 34.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Over 81% of African Americans who are 25 years old and over have a high school degree and higher. Of this group 32.3% have some college or an associate’s degree. Eleven percent have bachelor’s degrees and only six percent have a graduate or professional degree. Over 19% of African American females have a bachelor’s degree or higher and 15.7% African American males have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
|
African American Educational Attainment |
|
| Population 25 years and over | 23,530,646 |
| Less than high school diploma | 18.1% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 31.7% |
| Some college or associate’s degree | 32.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 11.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.2% |
| High school graduate or higher | 81.9% |
| Male, high school graduate or higher | 80.4% |
| Female, high school graduate or higher | 83.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 17.9% |
| Male, bachelor’s degree or higher | 15.7% |
| Female, bachelor’s degree or higher | 19.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Eight percent of all African Americans are veterans.
| African American Veteran Status | |
| Civilian population 18 years & over | 27,972,593 |
| Civilian veteran | 8.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
Sixty one percent of foreign born African Americans are from Latin America.
|
African American World Region Of Birth Of Foreign Born |
|
| Foreign-born population excluding population born at sea | 3,312,352 |
| Europe | 1.6% |
| Asia | 0.5% |
| Africa | 36.0% |
| Oceania | 0.0% |
| Latin America | 61.2% |
| Northern America | 0.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
A majority of African Americans are in the management, business, science, and arts occupations. Over 24% of African American males work in the production, transportation, and material occupations and 32.8% of African American women work in the management, business, science, and arts occupations.
|
African Americans by Occupation |
|
| Civilian employed population 16 years and over | 14,927,111 |
| Management, business, science, and arts occupations | 28.4% |
| Service occupations | 25.5% |
| Sales and office occupations | 25.9% |
| Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations | 5.4% |
| Production, transportation, and material moving occupations | 14.8% |
| Male civilian employed population 16 years and over | 6,650,833 |
| Management, business, science, and arts occupations | 22.8% |
| Service occupations | 22.5% |
| Sales and office occupations | 19.1% |
| Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations | 11.3% |
| Production, transportation, and material moving occupations | 24.4% |
| Female civilian employed population 16 years and over | 8,276,278 |
| Management, business, science, and arts occupations | 32.8% |
| Service occupations | 27.9% |
| Sales and office occupations | 31.4% |
| Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations | 0.7% |
| Production, transportation, and material moving occupations | 7.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
The median African American household income is $33,578. The median family income for an African American married couple is nearly double of a single male and single female family household.
|
African American Households and Family Households Income |
|
| Median household income (dollars) | 33,578 |
| Median family income (dollars) | 39,900 |
| Median income (dollars) Married-couple family | 63,353 |
| Median family income (dollars) Female householder, no husband present, family | 25,417 |
| Male householder, no spouse present, family | 33,689 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates
From Herspective1st
Interesting indeed!