Did you check 'Negro' for race?

Pondering the Negro Question

In a BlackEnterprise.com poll on whether the 2010 Census form should have used the word “Negro” to identify African Americans, the majority of respondents said the word is derogatory and offensive and should not have been used.  “I find it amazing that in 2010 we chant change and are hopeful for progression in the future, but yet we are still holding on to the past,” wrote “Dellam,” on BlackEnterprise.com.

African Americans Unemployed Longer

Blacks experience longer periods of unemployment than the general population, according to a report from the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee Majority staff. Though African Americans make up just 11.5% of the labor force, they account for more than 20% of the long-term unemployed, as of February 2010. In addition, they account for 22% of those unemployed for more than a year.

Minorities Not Supported in STEM Education

Regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, interest in science begins in early childhood. Unfortunately, the U.S. K-12 education system falls short in its encouragement of girls and underrepresented minorities in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), according to the Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV report. On average, respondents gave the system a “D” for the job it does encouraging minorities to study STEM subjects. Read more about the study in Diversity Watch in the June 2010 issue of Black Enterprise.

Face of the Uninsured

The United States spends more than any other nation in the world on healthcare—more than $2.2 trillion each year—almost $8,000 per person. Despite increases in spending, disparities among race and ethnic groups continue. Roughly 46 million people in the U.S. are uninsured. More than one in three Hispanics lack insurance; just less than one in five African Americans; and only one in eight whites.

Lack of Health Insurance
Whites: 12%
African Americans: 18%
Hispanics: 35%

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Prescription for Healthcare Reform

Americans want healthcare reform, but they want to keep their current insurance coverage and their current healthcare providers. They do, however, want lower costs. A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey revealed that eight in 10 Americans are satisfied with the quality of healthcare they receive. About three out of four are happy with their overall healthcare coverage. But satisfaction drops 52% when it comes to the amount people pay for quality healthcare. About three out of four are dissatisfied with overall healthcare costs.

U.S. Race Relations Improve

According to a CBS News/The New York Times poll, the state of race relations between blacks and whites in America is better now than in 2008. About 59% of African Americans along with 65% of whites characterize race relations as good compared to just 29% of blacks who felt the same almost a year ago. Some 87% of whites and 61% of African Americans say there’s been real progress in eradicating racial discrimination since the 1960s, that’s up 37% from polled responses by blacks in 1996.

Recession Impacts Races Similarly

With the ongoing recession there has been a greater difference between older and younger Americans than between Americans of different races. According to Pew Research Center, among older Americans, 34% of whites, 42% of blacks, and 45% of Hispanics report cutting back on household spending over the past year because money was tight. For those under age 65, about 65% of blacks, 65% of whites, and 64% of Hispanics had to tighten their money belts.

This article originally appeared in the September 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

Multiracial Americans Fastest Growing Group

Americans who self identify as multiracial are on the rise. According to the latest U. S. Census estimates, multiracial Americans are the fastest growing demographic group, up 3.4% from 4.9 million to about 5.2 million over the last year. Since 2000, the first year Americans were given the option to check off more than one box for race on Census surveys, the number of multiracial people has grown 33% as of 2008. Multiracial Americans currently make up 5% of the more than 100 million minority population.

More Blacks See Themselves As ‘Haves’

There’s a surge in optimism among Americans since Barack Obama was elected. Pew Research Center’s latest poll shows Americans are more upbeat in their perceptions of the country as being divided in a two-class nation of a privileged set of “haves” and a set of “have-nots.” The number of African Americans who see an economic divide has declined from 75% to 60%, while 43% of blacks consider themselves “haves” compared with 35% who think they are “Have-Nots.”

Tech Workforce Lacks Diversity

Minorities are a small fraction of high-technology workforces, especially at the senior level in Silicon Valley, California, shows a recent study from the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology.

This article originally appeared in teh August 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.