Black or African American Populations

In 2011, the population of African Americans including those of more than one race was estimated at 43.9 million, making up 13.6% of the total U.S. population.

Those who identified only as African American made up 12.8% of the U.S. population-over 39 million people.

The US Census Bureau projects that by the year 2060 there will be 77.4 million African Americans in the United States, making up 18.4% of the total U.S. population.

African Americans lived throughout the country in 2011, with the largest concentrations in the South. About 55% of those reported by the US Census as Black (alone or in combination) lived in the South.

Locations with the largest percentage of Blacks per total population in 2011 were the District of Columbia (52%), Mississippi (37%), Louisiana (32%), Georgia (31%), Maryland (30%), South Carolina (28%), and Alabama (27%). Locations with the largest total number of black residents (in 2010) were New York (3.3 million), Florida (3.2 million), Texas (3.2 million), Georgia (3.1 million), California (2.7 million), and North Carolina (2.2 million).

For more information

• US Census Bureau, Facts for Features,
  Black (African-American) History Month: February 2013 2012
  
• US Census Bureau, State and County Quick Facts,
  Black Persons Percent, 2011
  
• US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Briefs,
  The Black Population 2010 issued September, 2011
  
• US Census Bureau, Annual Social & Economic (ASEC) Supplement
  The Black Alone or in Combination Population in the United States: 2011
  The Black Alone Population in the United States: 2011
  
• US Census Bureau, Poverty Data
  Income, Poverty & Health Insurance in the United States, 2011
  Report Issued September, 2012
  
• US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Briefs,
  Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010
  
• US Office of Managment and Budget (OMB),
  OMB Bulletin Guidance on Aggregation and Allocation of Data on Race

Health disparities between African Americans and other racial and ethnic populations are striking and apparent in life expectancy, death rates, infant mortality, and other measures of health status and risk conditions and behaviors.

For example, in 2009, the average American could expect to live 78.5 years, but the average African American could only expect to live 74.5 years, compared with 78.8 years for the average White American. Health, United States, 2011, Table 22.

CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report

The CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report - United States, 2011 (CHDIR), provides analysis and reporting of the recent trends and ongoing variations in health disparities and inequalities in selected social and health indicators, both of which are important steps in encouraging actions and facilitating accountability to reduce modifiable disparities by using interventions that are effective and scalable.

Health Disparities - Examples

• African American women and men 45-74 years of age in 2006 had the largest death rates from heart disease and stroke compared with the same age women and men of other racial and ethnic populations.
• From 2005-2008, people with the largest prevalence of hypertension were 65 years and older, African American adults, U.S.-born adults, adults with less than a college education, and those with public health insurance (64 years and younger), diabetes, obesity, or a disability compared with their counterparts.
• Among many sex-age groups, the prevalence of obesity from 2005-2008 was lower among White Americans than among African Americans or Mexican Americans. Among females aged 20-39 years, the prevalence of obesity was largest among African Americans.
• Infants of African American women in 2006 had death rates twice as large as infants of White American women.
• Adolescent and adult African Americans ages 15-59 years in 2007 had the largest death rates from homicide, as compared with other racial and ethnic populations of the same ages.
• HIV infection rate among African Americans in 2008 was the largest rate compared with those of other racial and ethnic populations.

• Hispanic American and African American adults aged 18-64 years had substantially larger percentages of uninsured populations compared with Asian/Pacific Islander and White Americans.
• Colorectal screening obtained in 2008 by African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indian/Alaska Natives was lower than screening obtained by White Americans.
• During the 2009–10 influenza season, lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed among African American and Hispanic American adults than among White adults.
• In 2009, high school completion among African American adults was the second lowest (second to completion among Hispanic adults and similar to the completion among American Indian/Alaska Native adults).
• In 2009, the percentage of African American adults living in poverty was among the largest compared with other racial/ethnic populations (similar to percentages among American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanic Americans).
• In 2009, African American adults more often lived in inadequate and unhealthy housing than White adults. The percentage of African American adults living in inadequate housing was similar to percentages among American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic adults. These populations had the largest percentages of adults living in inadequate housing.

Factors contributing to poor health outcomes among African Americans include discrimination, cultural barriers, and lack of access to health care.

Additional Resources from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

• Health of Black or African American non-Hispanic Population Fast Stats
• Health Data Interactive
  

• Health, United States, 2011
  • Black or African American Population
  • Leading Causes of Death by Race/Ethnicity Table 26

HHS, Office of Minority Health (OMH)


• African American Profile
• Campaigns & Initiatives for African Americans
• Colleges & Universities
  

U.S. Census Bureau

• Facts for Features & Special Editions
  • Black (African-American History Month 2013
• The Black Population: 2010

• CDC
• CDC Feature: African American History
• African American History Month Observance
• Black or African American NEWS Page
• CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report (CHDIR)
• National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
  • Division of Population Health
    • Preventive Health & Health Services Block Grant
    • Promoting Health Equity
    • Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)
    • Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities Action Institute (REHDAI)
  • Division of Cancer Prevention & Control (DCPC)
    • Health Disparities in Cancer
    • Cancer Disparities Feature
    • Breast Cancer Vital Signs
    • Breast Cancer Disparities Feature
    • National Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Prostate Cancer Feature
  • Division of Diabetes Translation
    • Groups Especially Affected
    • Feature
  • Division for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention
    • Heart Disease Feature
  • Division of Reproductive Health
    • Teen Pregnancy Prevention Feature
  • National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) Asthma
    • Asthma Feature
  • Health Equity
  • Office on Smoking & Health
    • Smoking & Tobacco Use - Health Disparities
    • 2010 Surgeon Gerneral's Report: How Tobocco Smoke Causes Disease
    • Pathways to Freedom: Winning the Fight Against Tobacco
      
• National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP)
  • Disparities in HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and TB
    • African Americans / Blacks
      • Viral Hepatitis
      • STD Rates by Race or Ethnicity
      • Community Approaches to Reducing STDs
      • Tuberculosis (TB), African-American Community
  • Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP)
    • HIV Among Youth in the US Vital Signs
    • Increasing HIV/AIDS Awareness Among Blacks/African Americans
    • HIV/AIDS among African Americans Fact Sheet
    • What CDC is Doing
    • Resources
    • Links
• African-American Media Resources
• Immigrant and Refugee Health
• National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)
• National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD)
  • Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
  • Sickle Cell Feature
• National Immunization Program (NIP)
  • Racial and Ethnic Populations


• HHS
  • Newly Published Final Standards
  • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
    • Minority Health
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    • Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE)
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
    • Office of Minority Health (OMH)
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    • Office of Minority Health (OMH)
  • Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
    • Office of Special Health Affairs (OSHA)
    • Office of Health Equity (OHE)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
    • National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHHD)
    • African American Health Medline Plus
    • African American Health Healthfinder
    • Cancer Health Disparities National Cancer Institute (NCI)
    • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
    • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
    • Office of Behavioral Health Equity (OBHE)
    • Take Action in Your Community
    • Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General

Note: Links to nonfederal organizations are provided as a service to our users. These links are not an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government. CDC is not responsible for the content of the organization Web pages found at these links.

• American Cancer Society (ACS)
• Project POWER - African Americans & Diabetes, American Diabetes Association (ADA)
• American Heart Association (AHA)
• American Lung Association (ALA)
• National SUID/SIDS Resource Center (NSSRC)

Each year, CDC awards about $7 billion in more than 14,000 grant and contract actions, including simplified acquisitions.

CDC's Procurement and Grants Office (PGO) website provides information on grants and business opportunities with the CDC.