Need To Know Info. : BLACK AMERICANS - DEMOGRAPHICS

BLACK AMERICANS - DEMOGRAPHICS

SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2003 ABC/Washington Post poll, Pew Research Center, U.S. Department of Justice, 2004 BIG Research, Brookings Institution, 2004 Pew Research Survey

38.3 million. Percent of U.S. population: 13.3%
Self-identification: African-American 48%, Black 35%, both terms 17%
8.8 million families: 52% single parent (43% single women, 9% single men), 48% married. 9% of black kids live with grandparents (1940: 77% married, 18% single women, 5% single men)
Regional residence: 55% South (vs. 77% in 1940), 18% Northeast, 18% Midwest, 9% West
52% live in cities, 36% suburbs (vs. 29% in 1994), 12% rural
Top 5 cities with black populations: New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelpia, Houston
Top cities with black migration inflows: Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Orlando
Top cities with black migration outflows: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco
Marriage rate: 35% in 2002 (vs. 63% in 1950). 2/3 will get married sometime in their lives
Under age 18: 32%. Ages 65+: 8%
Children born IN wedlock: 25% (vs. 80% in 1960)
67% of young black men (under age 30) have never been involved in criminal justice system, 33% have been
2.6 million veterans (7% of black population, 2000)
Labor force participation: 62% women, 68% men
Internet usage: 61%. Percent who regularly go online for news: 25% (up from 16% in 2000
Top 5 favorite cable channels: Black Entertainment Television, Lifetime, TNT, USA, pay-per-view

BLACK AMERICANS - INCOME

2004 University of Georgia Selig Center study, U.S. Census Bureau, National Black Chamber of Commerce, Target Market News, 2004 NUL "State of Black America" Report
76% live above the poverty line (vs. 10% in 1940 and 45% in 1960). All-time high above poverty: 79% in 2001
5% rich, 44% middle class, 27% working class, 24% poor (2004)
Overall median household income: $33,178 (2003). Median income for married households: $48,000 (2002)
Top 5 states with highest median black household income: New Hampshire $43,574, Alaska $42,887, Maryland $41,652, Hawaii $41,032, New Jersey $38,513
Married households: 50% earn $50,000+. 27% earn $75,000+
Overall households: 33% earn $50,000+. 16% earn $75,000+
Median black adult male income (2000): $30,409. Median black adult female income (2000): $25,117
Poverty rate by family composition: married-couple families 8%, single-dad families 19%, single-mom families 35%
70% of children overall are not poor, 30% are poor. Percentage of poor children who live in single-mom households: 85%
Poverty rate for ages 65+: 78% not poor, 22% poor. Women 26%, men 16%
Combined GDP: $728 billion per year (2003, would be world's 16th largest economy). Per capita GDP: $19,008 (akin to Portugal, Taiwan, Israel)
top 5 expenditures: housing $131.7 billion, food $52.7bn, vehicles $47.9 bn, clothing $22.9 bn, health care $16.7 bn
Median individual net worth: $16,000
Mean black families' net worth (2001): $75,700 (vs. $59,400 in 1992)
Black financial assets: $1.4 trillion. 42% in home, 33% in financials (stocks, bonds, etc.)
91.6% are employed. All-time high since slavery's end: 92.8% (April 2000)
24% employed by the government
5% own businesses. 1 million black-owned businesses. Top 5 states with largest # of black businesses: New York, California, Texas, Florida, Georgia
Women: 36% technical/sales/administrative support, 27% service, 25% professional/manager (vs. 4% in 1960)
Men: 28% operator/fabricator/laborer, 19% professional/manager (vs. 4% in 1960), 19% technical/sales/administrative support, 19% service
Home ownership: 50.8% (vs. 35% in 1950)
Number of billionaires: 2 (Robert Johnson, BET founder; Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Productions)

BLACK AMERICANS - EDUCATION

U.S. Census Bureau, 2002 JCPES survey
79% are high school graduates (vs. 14% in 1950)
17% are college graduates (vs. 2% in 1950). Women: 18%. Men: 16%
Top 5 states with largest % of black college grads: Vermont 35%, Montana 33%, New Hampshire 28%, Maine 23%, Idaho 22%
3% have post-college degrees
95% of black children ages 5 and 6 are enrolled in school (vs. 69% in 1954)
School vouchers: 57% support, 43% oppose
Best way for more black kids to receive a good education: 44% say change district boundaries, 40% more government money, 10% vouchers, 6% combo or other answer
81% believe too little money is spent on schools
School prayer: 79% support, 20% oppose, 1% don't know
Has educational equality happened since 1964: 77% yes
Quality of their kid's school: 37% fair, 35% excellent or good, 25% poor
Are black kids' school options = to white kids: 68% no, 31% yes
Single-gender public schools: 26% support
What would best help more blacks go to college: 65% say better college preparation, 25% more financial aid, 4% more spaces for black students

BLACK AMERICANS - HEALTH

National Institutes of Health, 2000 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 2003 BAMPAC poll, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
2001 life expectancy: Women: 75.5 years (vs. 65.9 in 1960). Men: 68.6 years (vs. 60.7 in 1960)
86% have health insurance
Infant mortality rate: 14.3 per 1,000 people
Number one killer: cardiovascular disease. Accounts for 33.5% of male deaths, 40.6% of female deaths (2000)
2001 Top 10 killers: cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, unintentional injuries, diabetes, homicide, HIV/AIDS, chronic lower respiratory disease, nephritis (kidney disease), septicemia (blood poisoning)
Overweight percentage (adults): Men 60.7%, women 77.3%
Percentage with no regular physical activity (adults): Men 44.1%, women 55.2%
USA share of abortions: 30%
alcoholism rate: 3.57% in 2002 (down from 3.84 in 1992). Alcohol abuse rate: 3.29% in 2002 (up from 1.46% in 1992)
HIV/AIDS rate: 2%. AIDS is leading cause of death for ages 25-44. USA share of new cases: 49% male, 72% female
USA's top health problem: 41% say AIDS, 41% cancer, 14% heart disease, 8% uninsured people, 7% diabetes
World's top health problem: 49% say AIDS, 41% cancer, 14% heart disease, 8% health costs, 3% diabetes

BLACK AMERICANS - POLITICS

2004 Black Entertainment Television/CBS poll, 2002 JCPES survey, June 2003 BAMPAC poll, U.S. Census Bureau
voter breakdown: 60% female, 40% male
15.3 million registered voters (2000). 13 million voted in 2000 election: 84.2% registered voter turnout
56.8% of all eligible blacks voted in 2000, 68% of all eligible blacks were registered to vote (2000)
10% of the U.S. electorate in 2000. Voted for George W. Bush (Republican): 9%. Voted for Al Gore (Democratic): 91%
Self-identification: 33% liberal, 40% moderate, 27% conservative
Overall party affiliation: 63% Democratic, 10% Republican, 24% independent
Ages 18-25: 54% Democratic, 9% Republican, 34% independent
Ages 26-35: 56% Democratic, 15% Republican, 29% independent
Ages 36-50: 65% Democratic, 12% Republican, 21% independent
Ages 51-64: 70% Democratic, 5% Republican, 21% independent
Ages 65+: 75% Democratic, 7% Republican, 16% independent
Democratic Party: 80% favorable opinion, 11% unfavorable
Republican Party: 48% unfavorable opinion, 37% favorable
36% of black voters are military family members
is USA on the right track: 92% say no, 6% yes, 2% unsure
is President Bush’s presidency legitimate? 85% say no, 11% say yes, 4% unsure
64% believe the Republican Party ignores black voters
35% believe the Democratic Party takes black votes for granted. Among black independents: 49%
most important national black leader: 46% say no one or don’t know, 21% say Rev. Jesse Jackson, Secretary Colin Powell 13%, Rev. Al Sharpton 4%, Kweisi Mfume 3%, Min. Louis Farrakhan 2%, Condoleezza Rice 2%
Min. Louis Farrakhan: 44% favorable, 6% unfavorable, rest don't know
Colin Powell: 77% favorable, 15% unfavorable
Rev. Jesse Jackson: 69% favorable, 23% unfavorable
Alan Keyes: 25% favorable, 19% unfavorable, rest don't know
Condoleezza Rice: 42% favorable, 17% unfavorable
Congressional Black Caucus: 68% favorable, 6% unfavorable, rest don't know
NAACP: 83% favorable, 8% unfavorable, rest don't know
Clarence Thomas: 41% favorable, 36% unfavorable

BLACK AMERICANS - RELIGION

2004 Black Entertainment Television/CBS poll, 2003 & 2004 Pew Research Center surveys, 2003 Harris Poll, 2004 Religion and Ethics Newsweekly survey
71% Protestant, 15% non-denominational Christian, 7% Catholic, 4% no religion, 2% Muslim, 1% other
Evangelical Christian rate: 62% say Bible is God's literal word
Religious service attendance: 41% attend every week, 22% a few times a year, 19% once or twice a month, 12% almost every week, 6% never
96% believe in God
76% believe in the devil
86% believe in heaven
77% believe in hell
88% believe in Jesus Christ's resurrection
79% say soul survives after death
78% believe in the Virgin birth
90% believe in miracles
29% believe in reincarnation
Islam is fastest-growing religion (40% of U.S. Muslims are black)
USA has special protection from God: 58% yes, 28% no, 14% don't know
USA's strength & success is based on religious faith: 69% yes, 28% no
Must believe in God to be moral: 69% yes, 25% no
87% believe USA moral values are on the wrong track
Views of Muslim Americans: 58% favorable, 22% unfavorable, 20% don't know
Views of Muslims abroad: 52% favorable, 30% unfavorable, 18% don't know
Lessons of 9/11: 58% say religion has too little influence in the world, 22% say too much
42% believe Jews were responsible for Jesus' death
Israel fulfills biblical prophecy: 51% yes, 33% no, 16% don't know
How religion affects their vote: 26% frequently, 20% occasionally, 51% rarely
Proper for media to ask politicians about religion: 59% yes, 39% no
Should religious institutions express political views: 66% yes, 30% no
President Bush, religion, and policymaking: 56% relies too little on religion, 28% right amount, 8% too much
Consider not voting for president (can pick more than one): 51% atheists, 30% Muslim, 17% Catholic, 12% Jewish, 10% evangelical Christian

BLACK AMERICANS - SOCIAL ISSUES

2004 Black Entertainment Television and CBS poll, 2003, April 2004, and November 2004 Gallup polls, 2001 L.A. Times poll, 2003 BAMPAC poll, 2001 & 2003 Gallup polls, September 2001 Zogby poll, 2001 ABC News/Beliefnet poll
69% prefer a larger government providing more services, 22% support limited government
Gay marriage: 64% oppose, 26% support, 10% don't know
Abortion: 56% oppose abortion in most cases, 20% oppose in all cases
Death penalty: 49% oppose, 44% favor, 7% no opinion. For minors: 80% oppose, 16% favor
Most appropriate penalty for murder: 44% say life sentence with no parole, 25% say long sentence with parole, 18% say death penalty
62% support set-asides for minority businesses & racial quotas in employment and education
Affirmative action programs should be: 76% say continued for foreseeable future, 15% phased over next few years, 3% ended now. Self-identified conservatives: 27% say end now or phase out
What would help most to get illegal drugs out of black communities: 35% say law enforcement crackdowns, 28% more drug treatment programs, 25% more anti-drug programs
How to solve youth crime: 70% say more community programs, 18% hold parents responsible, 6% longer jail sentences
85% favor holding back on tax cuts to provide more help for the needy
48% blame child poverty on parents' individual failures
73% believe race relations have somewhat or greatly improved
78% say they prefer to live in racially mixed neighborhoods
21% say all or most of the civil rights movement's goals have been achieved
63% say blacks are inaccurately portrayed in media & movies, 31% say accurate
61% say immigration is good for USA
44% believe immigration should be decreased
49% say amnesty for illegal immigrants is bad or very bad
48% say immigrants should adopt U.S. culture, 43% maintain own culture
Embryonic stem-cell research: 48% favor, 44% oppose
Prohibit people under 18 from buying explicit music: 59% favor, 37% oppose
Hip hop influence on kids: 52% negative, 23% neutral, 18% positive
Ages 18-29: 42% hip hop a negative influence, 28% neutral, 24% positive
Ages 30-44: 52% hip hop a negative influence, 22% neutral, 20% positive
Ages 45-54: 55% hip hop a negative influence, 24% neutral, 16% positive
Ages 55-64: 55% hip hop a negative influence, 17% neutral, 14% positive
Ages 65+: 58% hip hop a negative influence, 25% neutral, 6% positive
71% favor requiring Arabs, including U.S. citizens, to undergo security checks before boarding airplanes
64% favor special identification cards for Arabs

BLACK AMERICANS - FOREIGN POLICY

2004 Black Entertainment Television/CBS poll, 2002 JCPES survey, 2000 & 2003 Gallup polls, 2003 Pew Research Center poll
was Iraq war worth the costs: 90% say no, 8% yes
82% oppose a military draft
United Nations: 56% fair or poor, 43% good or excellent
China: 46% favorable, 34% unfavorable, 20% don't know
Cuba: 51% unfavorable, 30% favorable, 19% don't know
England: 71% favorable
India: 39% favorable, 35% unfavorable, 26% don't know
Israel: 40% unfavorable, 38% favorable, 22% don't know
Mexico: 48% favorable, 29% unfavorable, 23% don't know
Pakistan: 59% unfavorable, 18% favorable, 23% don't know
Russia: 42% favorable, 33% unfavorable, 25% don't know
Saudi Arabia: 55% unfavorable, 24% favorable, 21% don't know
Israel/Palestinians sympathy: 40% Israel, 14% Palestinians, 22% don't know, 16% neither, 8% both
Percentage who want to learn more about Africa: 73%
Should USA intervene in African crises: 67% yes, 20% no, 7% depends on situation

BLACK AMERICANS - OTHER

2004 Harris Poll
61% say they're "very satisfied" with their lives
56% say their lives have improved over the past year
86% are optimistic about the next five years