To begin with some mind blowing stats about African Americans and their achievements through the years.

In 1940, 60% of African American women entered the workforce to work in white collar positions.

In 1958, almost 44% of Caucasian Americans considered relocating if an African American family resided within close proximity of their residence. In 2024, that percentage will decrease.

In 1964, the Civil Rights Act made it possible for African Americans and Caucasians to increase friendships with one another. Currently, 86% of African Americans have friendships with Caucasian Americans.

Today, 40% of African Americans consider their socioeconomic status to be middle class, with 42% who are homeowners. This figure has increased at a rate of 75% for African American married couples. African American families who live in a single family dwelling with both male and female have decreased by 13% in contrast to Caucasian American married couples.

African Americans have been at the forefront of progression with community leaders and activists. There has been stereotypical analysis of the African American race being viewed as undeserving, having limited income and housing, serious mental and physical health concerns, with the inability to seek proper treatment, or meaningful employment. 

In 1944, Gunnar Mydral published An American Dilemma, which discussed the economic state of African Americans in the labor force, and the ownership and location of their dwelling. In which 1 in 8 African Americans owned land. While 5% were engaged in jobs that left them underpaid laborers, that Caucasian Americans did not wish to take.

6 out of 10 African American women worked in positions that required manual labor with limited economic return. Additionally, racism caused division for several entrepreneurs in North and South regions, leaving businesses stagnant and unproductive. Those businesses ranged from beauty to death care industries that lacked the ability to provide additional services to the African American community.

In the 1940’s a change in economic stability for African Americans presented itself when additional opportunities for advancement in land and the employment industry. In 1953, the North provided advanced employment opportunities and income stability for this population. In 1960, 1 in 7 African American men still were employed within white collar and skilled labor industries. African American women gained employment that allowed them to work at improved levels, and increase in socioeconomic status. 

From 1940 to 1970, African Americans gained opportunity within several business industries, while improving overall health and wellness. Between 1970 to 1990, the number of African American physicians tripled, while the number of professors doubled, engineers quadrupled, and attorneys increased six times greater. This was a reflection of many educational institutions both primary, secondary, and post-secondary, accepting African Americans at an all-time increased rate, while Asian Americans were included in the gap. Each of the professions listed above create the platform for the working middle class.

In 2019, there were approximately 2 million Afro-Latinxs in the United States, which is an increase of 1.21 from 2000. There was also an increase in almost twice the population of non-Black Latinos. This population migrated to coastal regions to include Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania. Approximately 26% of Afro-Latinas earned a college degree, where 0.18 of non-Black Latinas did not earn a college degree.

In 2023, Afro-Latinas and Afro Latinos made up 19% of the workforce, and have increased by 69% since 2003 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Not only is this population at the forefront of the workforce, they are also leading in healthcare, as this group has one of the highest rates of health insurance coverage, in contrast with over 18% of non-Black Latinos (Tolbert, Drake, & Damico as cited in UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute, 2024). Healthcare and wellness is an extremely important topic for this population.

With increased violence and substance misuse and abuse, this minority group became at-risk for declination in education and employment advancement. Affirmative action, with use of education and cognition, increased African Americans in education and economic status. African Americans have made significant progress and advancement in every area of their lives. With the elimination of segregation, this community created a pathway for empowerment and influence.

Thernstorm, A. & Thernstorm, P. (2024). Black Progress: How far we’ve come, and how far we

have to go. Retrieved on December 2, 2024 from

https://www.brookings.edu/arti...w-far-we-have-to-go/

UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute. (2024). Centering black latinidad: A profile of the u.s.

Afro-latinx population and complex inequalities. Retrieved on December 5, 2024 from

https://latino.ucla.edu/resear...ck-latinidad/#_edn21

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Employment trends of hispanics in the u.s. labor

workforce. Retrieved on December 5, 2024 from https://www.bls.gov/blog/2024/...e-us-labor-force.htmCENTERhttps://latino.ucla.edu/research/centering-black-latinidad/#_edn21ING BLACK LATINIDAD: A PROFILE OF THE U.S. AFRO-LATINX POPULATION AND COMPLEX INEQUALITIES