African-American Demographics 1950-2000

This interactive map application shows how the African-American population distribution has changed at the county level over the past fifty years. Be sure to review the fine print regarding data limitations for some of the maps.

The initial map displays the percent African-American population by county in 2000, with school district and census tract-level detail available. Subsequent maps show population change by county from one census to another.

Map 6 shows the net change in the African American population between 1950 and 2000 by county. Map 13 depicts the net change for the total population (all races) over the 50-year period.

For comparison, maps 14 and 15 show population change over the 1980-2000 period for the overall population and Latinos.

To view the historical population counts -- select INFO and click on the map. Historical data for the selected county will appear in the lower half of the pop-up info window.

Municipal boundaries and roads depicted in the county-level historical maps are from the 2000 census.

A final set of maps focuses on population changes in cities and towns between 1990 and 2000.

Additional maps showing county-level changes in income and education differentials are planned.

To maximize the viewable area, toggle off the history folder, then select the F11 key. Map links can be e-mailed or bookmarked for future reference. Use the arrow buttons on your browser to compare previously viewed maps. Click the HELP icon for additional assistance.

NOT COMPATIBLE WITH FIREFOX 1.5 (click for details)

Percent African-American in 2000

Map 1 -- Percent African-American 2000 (single-race)

County-level map displays when zoomed out.

To view the county-level 2000 census data -- select INFO, click on the map, and then select "County (High)" or "County (Low)" from the pop-up info window.

School district boundaries (bright green lines -- elementary and unified) can be viewed in this map and Map 16 only beginning at a scale of about 100 miles by clicking on the "School District" option box and then select "Redraw". This will override the county thematic shading to show percent African-American by school district (based on the overall population of the district, not just the students)

Beginning at a scale of 50 miles, you can override the county or school district display and show census tracts thematic shading -- check the box to the left of "Census Tract (High)" beneath the map image and then select "Redraw".

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data , National Center for Education Statistics.

Map 2 -- Percent African-American 1990 (single-race)

County-level map displays when zoomed out.

Beginning at a scale of 50 miles, you can override the county display and show census tracts -- check the box next to "Census Tract (1990)" beneath the map image and then select "Redraw".

Census tract boundaries and data are based on 1990 lines. Data and geography have not been normalized to facilitate comparisons with the 2000 tract geography where there are differences. For many areas, the tract lines did not change between 1990 and 2000. (Approximately, two-thirds of the nation's population lives in tracts that did not change or changed insignificantly.) For comparison, at a scale of about 5 miles, dark green lines show high resolution census tract boundaries under the 2000 census.

Source: Census 1990 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

Map 3 -- Change in African American Population 1990-2000

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the African American population by county over the decade is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

Map 4 -- Change in African American Population 1980-1990

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the African American population by county over the decade is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

Source: Census 1980 downloaded from the National Atlas

Map 5 -- Percent African-American 1950 (single-race)

County-level map at all zoom levels .

Notes:

A few independent cities in Virginia ( those which have missing data for 1950) do not match the historical dataset. They are left blank on the map. Also, there have been no adjustments for partial city-county annexations since 1950 involving the cities of Richmond, Bristol, and perhaps others.

Adjustments have not been made for several new counties formed since 1950 by splitting counties including La Paz. AZ (from Yuma), Cibola NM (from Valencia), and Menominee WI. The new counties are left blank on the map. Hawaii and Alaska are excluded because they were not states in 1950.

Click here for Census Bureau documentation on county boundary changes from the 1970's to the present.

Sources: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research. HISTORICAL, DEMOGRAPHIC, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL DATA: THE UNITED STATES, 1790-1970 [Computer file]. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [producer and distributor], 197?.

Historical Census Browser. Retrieved from the University of Virginia, Geospatial and Statistical Data Center: http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/index.html, 2004.

Map 6 -- Change in African American Population 1950-2000

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the African American population by county over the half century is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

In Virginia, labels outlined in black boxes (rather than green) show aggregate black population change for several counties combined with adjacent independent cities, in cases where there were no population counts available for 1950. The tabular data retrieved in the pop-up window do not include a break-out column for these adjustments.

Note: See Map 5 note.

Map 7 -- Change in African American Population 1950-1960

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the African American population by county between 1950 and 1960 is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

Note: See Map 5 note.

Map 8 -- Change in African American Population 1960-1980

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the African American population by county over the 20-year period is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

Note: See Map 5 note.

Source: Census 1980 downloaded from the National Atlas

Map 9 -- Change in African American Population 1980-2000

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the African American population by county over the 20-year period is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

Comparison Maps

Group Housing

Map 10 -- Population in Student Dorms (all races, 2000)

Census tracts display at a scale of about 200 miles, block groups at 50 miles.

At a scale of about 5 miles, block group population counts for students living in college dorms are displayed in purple boxes.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data (see Group Quarters Mapper for details)

Map 11 -- Population in Military Quarters (all races, 2000)

Census tracts display at a scale of about 200 miles, block groups at 50 miles.

At a scale of about 5 miles, block group population counts for persons living in military barracks or quarters are displayed in purple boxes.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data (see Group Quarters Mapper for details)

Map 12 -- Population in Correctional Facilities (all races, 2000)

Census tracts display at a scale of about 200 miles, block groups at 50 miles.

At a scale of about 5 miles, the block group population counts for persons living in correctional facilities are displayed in purple boxes.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data (see Group Quarters Mapper for details; see also PrisonersoftheCensus.org)

Population

Map 13 -- Change in Total Population 1950-2000

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net change in the population by county over the half century is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

In Virginia, black box labels show aggregate black population change for several counties combined with adjacent independent cities, in cases where there were no population counts available for 1950. The tabular data retrieved in the pop-up window do not include a break-out column for these adjustments.

Note: See Map 5 note.

Map 14 -- Change in Total Population 1980-2000

Source: Census 1980 downloaded from the National Atlas

Map 15 -- Change in Latino Population 1980-2000

Note: This calculation includes Hispanic single-race African-Americans.

Source: Census 1980 downloaded from the National Atlas

Map 16 -- Percent Latino 2000

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Census tracts display at a scale of 50 miles.

Note: See Map 1 note.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

Map 17 -- Percent Latino 1990

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Census tracts display at a scale of 50 miles.

Note: See Map 2 note.

Source: Census 1990 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

Income (2000 census)

Map 18 -- African-American Median Household Income in 1999

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Cross-hatching indicates no population or a sample too small to estimate median income.

Beginning at a scale of 50 miles, you can override the county display and show census tracts -- check the box next to "Census Tract (High)" beneath the map image and then select "Redraw".

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) Sample Data

Map 19 -- Non-Hispanic White Median Household Income in 1999

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Census tracts display at a scale of 50 miles. Cross-hatching indicates no population or a sample too small to estimate median income.

Beginning at a scale of 50 miles, you can override the county display and show census tracts -- check the box next to "Census Tract (High)" beneath the map image and then select "Redraw".

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) Sample Data

Map 20 -- Hispanic Median Household Income in 1999

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Census tracts display at a scale of 50 miles. Cross-hatching indicates no population or a sample too small to estimate median income.

Beginning at a scale of 50 miles, you can override the county display and show census tracts -- check the box next to "Census Tract (High)" beneath the map image and then select "Redraw".

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) Sample Data

Map 21 -- Median Household Income (all races) in 1999

Census tracts display at a scale of about 200 miles, block groups at 50 miles. At a scale of about 5 miles, block group median household income is displayed in purple boxes. Cross-hatching indicates no population or a sample too small to estimate median income.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) Sample Data

Place-level Maps (Cities, towns, villages, etc.)

Map 22 -- Percent African-American 2000 (single-race)

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Places display at a scale of 200 miles. Places include incorporated municipalities as well as "census designated places" ( unincorporated concentrations of population).

Map 23 -- Percent African-American 1990 (single-race)

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Places (1990 boundaries) display at a scale of 200 miles.

Map 24 -- Change in African American Population 1990-2000

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Places display at a scale of 200 miles.

The net change in the African American population by place between 1990 and 2000 is displayed in black boxes beginning at a scale of 50 miles.

Note: See map 25 to identify places where population change was affected by annexations.

Map 25 -- Annexations between 1990 and 2000

County-level map showing the net change in total population displays when zoomed out. Places display at a scale of 200 miles.

Unincorporated places or places where boundaries did not change are shown in grey. The colors reveal areas that were probably annexed over the decade. The underlying color theme that identifies annexed areas is based on the net change in the overall population for the place.

The net change in the overall population by place between 1990 and 2000 is displayed in black boxes beginning at a scale of 50 miles.

Note: In a few instances, boundary changes between 1990 and 2000 are simply Census Bureau corrections to errors in the 1990 files, rather than annexations.

Click here for Census Bureau documentation on place boundary changes from 1990 to the present.

Map 26 -- Percent Latino 2000

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Places display at a scale of 200 miles.

Map 27 -- Percent Latino 1990

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Places (1990 boundaries) display at a scale of 200 miles.

Map 28 -- Change in Latino Population 1990-2000

County-level map displays when zoomed out. Places display at a scale of 200 miles.

The net change in the Latino population by place between 1990 and 2000 is displayed in black boxes beginning at a scale of 50 miles.

Note: See map 25 to identify places where population change was affected by annexations.

Historical Socio-Economic Comparisons

Map 29 -- Black vs. Non Hispanic White Median Family Income Differential (1999)

County-level map at all zoom levels. The net $ difference in the African American median family income compared to the non-Hispanic white median is displayed in green boxes beginning at a scale of 200 miles.

Higher negative percentages indicate greater income disparity. For example, a county with a non-Hispanic white median family income of $40,000 and a black median family income of $20,000 has a disparity of minus 50% (with a deep orange color on the map). The national non-Hispanic white median family income in 2000 was $54,698 compared to a black median family income of $33,255 -- a minus 39% disparity. Put differently, the black median is about 61% of the white median, 39 percentage points below parity.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) Sample Data

Map 30 -- Black vs. White (includes Hispanics) Median Family Income Differential (1969)

County-level map at all zoom levels. Non-Hispanic white median family income is not available from the 1970 census, so the map theme is based on white (including Hispanic) median family income. Counties with high Latino populations in 1970 (i.e. greater than 10 percent) are therefore left blank on the map.

Beginning at a scale of 200 miles, green boxes display the disparity differential for 1969, with a 1999 comparison.

Source: City-County Data Book 1977, 1970 census.