Black or African American Populations
African Americans have a long history in the United States. Some African American families have been in the United States for many generations; others are recent immigrants from places such as Africa, the Caribbean, or the West Indies.
Blacks or African Americans are people having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. The Black or African American population includes people who marked their race(s) as “Black, African Am., or Negro” or reported entries such as African American; Sub-Saharan African (e.g., Kenyan and Nigerian); or Afro-Caribbean such as Haitian and Jamaican according to the US Census Bureau.
Demographics
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
10 Leading Causes of Death for African Americans
(Causes of Death from 2010)
1. Heart Disease Facts Prevention
2. Cancer Health Disparities in Cancer CDC Feature, Health Disparities in Cancer Reducing Health Disparities in Cancer
3. Stroke Facts Prevention
4. Diabetes Public Health Resource Fact Sheets Fact Sheet 2011
5. Unintentional Injuries WISQARS Data & Statistics
6. Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome, & Nephrosis (Kidney Diseases)
Chronic Kidney Disease
Fact Sheet 2010
Fact Sheets
Protecting Kidney Health Fact Sheet
7. Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease Data & Statistics
8. Homicide WISQARS Data & Statistics Youth Violence Facts
9. Septicemia
Preventing Healthcare-associated Infections
10. Alzheimer's Disease Healthy Aging Data & Statistics
Source: NCHS, NVSS, Mortality Data, Deaths, Final Data for 2010
Other Important Health Issues
African Americans or Blacks have a substantial or disproportionately larger prevalence of the following conditions or behaviors across the life span compared with other racial/ethnic populations:
Maternal and Infant Health- Infant Mortality Factsheet
- Infant Health FastStats
- Infant Mortality Quick Stats
- Infants & Toddlers (Ages 0-3)
- Preconception Health & Health Care
- SIDS
- SIDS Info for Parents & Caregivers
Teen Pregnancy- Data Brief Feb 2011
- Teen Births Fast Stats
- Vital Signs: Preventing Teen Pregnancy in the US, Who's At Risk?
Asthma- Info for Specific Groups
- Fast Stats
- Data & Surveillance
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)- Facts
- Fast Stats
Smoking and Tobacco Use- Highlights: African Americans
- Smoking Fast Stats
Overweight and Obesity- Adult Obesity Facts
- Overweight & Obesity Fast Stats
High Cholesterol- Cholesterol Facts
- Cholesterol Fast Stats
Nutrition- Nutrition for Everyone
- Diet/Nutrition Fast Stats
Physical Activity- Physical Activity for Everyone
- Exercise or Physical Activity Fast Stats
Seasonal Influenza (Flu)- Influenza Vaccination Coverage
- High Risk Groups
- Information for Specific Groups
- Influenza Fast Stats
HIV/AIDS- HIV Among African Americans
- Act Against AIDS
- Recommendations & Guidelines
Tuberculosis- Factsheet pdf
Examples of Important Health Disparities
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.
See the CHDIR Website for more.For more information
Mortality Rates by Race/Ethnicity, Health, U.S., 2011, Table 24
Healthy PeopleNCHS Healthy People 2010 Final Review (2010)
NCHS Healthy People 2010 non-Hispanic black Snapshot (2010)
CDC Wonder, Data 2010: the Healthy People 2010 Database
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People 2020 Brochure
NCHS Healthy People 2020 Summary
Health Statistics
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
HHS, Office of Minority Health (OMH)
U.S. Census Bureau
Government Resources
- 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)
- National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP)
- 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)
- National Immunization Program (NIP)
- HHS
- Newly Published Final Standards
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- 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)
Funding
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.
CHDIR Report
CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities ReportContact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - cdcinfo@cdc.gov

Facts for Features & Special Editions



