February is Black History Month

American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week to commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent. The first celebration occurred on Feb. 12, 1926.

For many years, the second week of February was set aside for the celebration to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. Each year, U.S. presidents proclaim February as National African-American History Month. [The U.S. Census Bureau provided the information in this article.]

Population

•  42 million — The number of people who identified as black, either alone or in combination with one or more other races, in the 2010 Census; making up 13.6 percent of the total U.S. population. The black population grew by 15.4 percent from 2000 to 2010. Source: The Black Population: 2010 <www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf>
• 65.7 million — The projected black population of the United States (including those of more than one race) for July 1, 2050. On that date, according to the projection, blacks would constitute 15 percent of the nation’s total population. Source: Population projections <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb08-123.html>
• 3.3 million — The black population in New York, which led all states in 2010. The other nine states in the top 10 were Florida, Texas, Georgia, California, North Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia and Ohio. Source: The Black Population: <2010%20www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf>
• 38 percent — Percentage of Mississippi’s total population that was black in 2010. Mississippi led the nation in this category followed by Louisiana (33 percent), Georgia (32 percent), Maryland (31 percent), South Carolina (29 percent) and Alabama (27 percent). Source: The Black Population: 2010 <www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf>
• 52 percent — Percentage of the total population in the District of Columbia that was black in 2010. Source: The Black Population: 2010 <www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf>
• 2.2 million — People who identified as black in New York City, which led all places with populations of 100,000 or more, followed by Chicago; Philadelphia; Detroit; Houston; Memphis, TN; Baltimore; Los Angeles; Washington; and Dallas. Source: The Black Population: 2010 <www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf>
• 84.3 percent — Percentage of the total population in Detroit, who identified as black, which is the highest percentage nationally among places with populations of 100,000 or more. It was followed by Jackson, MS (80.1 percent), Miami Gardens, FL (77.9 percent), Birmingham, AL (74.0 percent), Baltimore, (65.1 percent), Memphis, TN (64.1 percent), New Orleans (61.2 percent), Flint, MI (59.5), Montgomery AL (57.4 percent) and Savannah, GA (56.7 percent). Source: The Black Population: 2010 <www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf>

Serving Our Nation

2.4 million — Number of black military veterans in the United States in 2010. Source: 2010 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.gov>.

Education

• 82 percent — Among blacks 25 and older, the percentage with a high school diploma or higher in 2010. Source: 2010 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.gov>
• 18 percent — Percentage of blacks 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2010. Source: 2010 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.gov>
• 1.5 million — Among blacks 25 and older, the number who had an advanced degree in 2010. Source: 2010 American Community Survey <http://factfinder2.census.gov>
• 2.9 million — Number of blacks enrolled in college in 2010, a 1.7 million increase since 1990. Source: 2010 Current Population Survey <http://www.census.gov/hhes/school/data/cps/historical/index.html>

Voting

• 11.1 million — The number of blacks who voted in the 2010 congressional election, an increase from 11 percent of the total electorate in 2006 to 12 percent in 2010. Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2010 <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/voting/cb11-164.html> 
• 55 percent — Turnout rate in the 2008 presidential election for the 18- to 24-year-old citizen black population, an 8-percentage point increase from 2004. Blacks had the highest turnout rate in this age group. Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008 <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/voting/cb09-110.html>
• 65 percent — Turnout rate among black citizens regardless of age in the 2008 presidential election, up about 5 percentage points from 2004. Looking at voter turnout by race and Hispanic origin, non-Hispanic whites and blacks had the highest turnout levels. Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008 <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/voting/cb09-110.html>

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

•  $32,068 — The annual median income of black households in 2010, a decline of 3.2 percent from 2009. Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb11-157.html>
• 27.4 percent — Poverty rate in 2010 for blacks. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf?>
• 79.2 percent — Percentage of blacks that were covered by health insurance during all or part of 2010. Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States <http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/cpstables/032011/health/h01_006.htm>

Families and Children

• 62.5 percent — Among households with a black householder, the percentage that contained a family. There were 9.4 million black family households. Source: 2011 Current Population Survey, Families and Living Arrangements, Table F1 and Table HH-2
• 44.4 percent — Among families with black householders, the percentage that were married couples. Source: 2011 Families and Living Arrangements, Table F1
• 1.3 million — Number of black grandparents who lived with their own grandchildren younger than 18. Of this number, 47.6 percent were also responsible for their care. Source: 2010 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov

Homeownership  

44.2 percent — Nationally, the percentage of households with a householder who was black who lived in owner-occupied homes. Source: 2010 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov

Jobs

 28.4 percent — The percentage of blacks 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations. Source: 2010 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov

Businesses

•  $135.7 billion — Receipts for black-owned businesses in 2007, up 53.1 percent from 2002. The number of black-owned businesses totaled 1.9 million in 2007, up 60.5 percent. Source: 2007 Survey of Business Owners http://factfinder2.census.gov
• 37.7 percent — Percentage of black-owned businesses in 2007 in health care and social assistance, repair and maintenance and personal and laundry services. Source: 2007 Survey of Business Owners http://factfinder2.census.gov
• 10.6 percent — Percentage of businesses in New York in 2007 that were black-owned, which led all states or state-equivalents. Georgia and Florida followed, at 9.6 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively. Source: 2007 Survey of Business Owners http://factfinder2.census.gov

Note from U.S. Census Bureau: The reference to the black population in this publication is to single-race blacks (“black alone”) except in the first section on “Population.” There the reference is to black alone or in combination with other races; in other words, a reference to respondents who said they were one race (black) or more than one race (black plus other races).