Here's a look at how life has changed for black Americans by the numbers, based on U.S. Census special report, studies and news stories.

1. Black Americans
Snapshot: 50 years of progress for
Undergraduate students
1964
234,000
2011
2.6million(latestfigures)
[Fiftyyearsago],itwasvirtuallyunheardofforAfrican-Americanstudentsto
attendmoststateorprivatecollegesintheU.S.Studentsofcolor[nowhave
theoptionto]attendwhateveruniversitytheywish,andthatsignificant
changeisatemplateforthechangeinthiscountry.
“—EveretteFreeman,EdD,presidentoftheCommunityCollegeofDenverandamemberofthe
UniversityofPhoenix boardofdirectors
Business owners
1972
187,602(earliestfigures)
2007
1.9million(latestfigures)
Senior executives
1964
0Fortune
500CEOs
2013
6Fortune
500CEOs(about800seniorexecutivepositions)
“
Thenumber[ofAfrican-American-
ownedbusinesses]grewabout60
percentfrom2002to2007,[but]
1.8millionofthosebusinesseshave
noemployees.Theyaren’tmom
andpop—theyaremomorpop.
Thefastest-growingsegmentofall
businessentrepreneurs isblack
women,“whoaredoingbetterin
generalthanoverallAfrican-
Americanbusinessowners.”
—RonBusby,MBA,presidentandCEOof
U.S.BlackChambersInc.
College graduates (those who earned at least a bachelor’s degree)
1964
365,000
2011
5.1million(latestfigures)
Living below the poverty line Median income
1966
41.8%(earliestfigures)
2011
27.6%(latestfigures)
1964
$24,332(in2011dollars)
2011
$40,495(latestfigures)
“
Thenext50yearsneedtobeabouteconomicempowerment.MLKandothers
laidouttheblueprint,andifyoulistentoMLK’slast[sermon],hetalkedabout
that.Butthisnextgenerationofleadersandindividualsneedtoexecuteit.
—RonBusby,MBA,presidentandCEOofU.S.BlackChambersInc.
Withrestrictivevotinglawsloosened,African-Americansstartedtofind
successinelectivepolitics,beginningin1966,whenEdwardBrookebecamethefirst
blackpersonelectedtotheU.S.Senate.Oneyearlater,CarlStokesmadehistory
whenhewaselectedmayorof Cleveland,thefirstblackmayorofamajorU.S.city.
Andin2008,BarackObamabecamethefirstblackU.S.president.
Elected officials
1970
1,469
2011
10,500(latestfigures)(earliestfigures)
U.S. black population
1964
20.7million 2012
44.5million(latestfigures—14.2percentofthe
totalpopulation)
TheU.S.CensusBureaucollecteddemographicstatisticsforaspecialreportcoincidingwiththe50thanniversaryoftheRev.MartinLutherKingJr.’s“IHaveaDream”speech.The
Census’sSurveyofBusinessOwnerscollectsdataeveryfiveyears,andstartedin1972.ThefirstyearpovertystatisticsthatwereavailableafterpassageoftheCivilRightsActof1964was
1966.DataonelectedofficialsarecollectedbyTheJointCenterforPoliticalandEconomicStudies,anonprofitthinktank.
Designer: Naureen Saira | Writer: Elliot Smith | January 17, 2014