Does Black = poor?

Unfortunately, yes, it still does to a considerable extent. 

While the welfare state lessens overall poverty, pockets of poverty still exist and are in need of further attention from the state. African Americans, especially African American women, are a good example. In 2006, roughly half of all African American children, 49.7%, and 44.5% of African American single mothers lived below the official poverty line set by the U.S. government at three times what is needed to sustain a nutritious diet. By comparison the overall national poverty rate was clocked at 11.7% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007cd). One of the reasons for the high incidence of poverty among members of this group was lacking labor force participation. A plurality, 44.4%, of poor African Americans lived in households whose householder did not participate in the labor force. The most common reasons for not being able to work were illness of disability (34.9%), school (24.4%), "home or family reasons" (18.6), being retired (18.9%), and 6.2% were unable to find work. African American women, mirror their overall ethnic community in this respect (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007e). Moller (2002) found that the U.S. welfare state is binary: individuals with a considerable work history have access to better service than those who do not. Furthermore, the U.S. lacks a universal federal minimum income, as found in all other developed countries. African American women, especially single mothers, typically qualify only for less generous benefits than white women and other demographics, as they may lack sufficient work experience and many live in those states with the least generous benefits. Moller concludes that this most vulnerable of demographics is still "denied the opportunity and support to maintain economic stability" (p. 478). The research by Moller and U.S. Census Bureau data suggest that many African American women are a) dependent on the welfare state for an opportunity to lead productive and b) require great welfare state assistance. Not surprisingly, Abramovitz (2001) found that African American activists, feminists in particular, have made state intervention for the sake of "economic justice" one of their primary objectives.

Sources:

Moller, S. (2002). Supporting poor single mothers: Gender and race in the U.S. welfare state. Gender and Society, 16(4), 465-484.

Abramovitz, M. (2001). Learning from the History of Poor and Working-Class Women's Activism. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 577, pp. 118-113

Census Bureau. (d) (August 28, 2007). POV03: People in Families with Related Children Under 18 by Family Structure, Age, and Sex, Iterated by Income-to-Poverty Ratio and Race: 2006 Below 100% of Poverty - All Races. Retrieved April 27, 2008 from the Current Population Survey: http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032007/pov/new03_100_01.htm

U.S. Census Bureau. (e) (August 28, 2007). POV24: Reason For Not Working or Reason For Spending Time Out of The Labor Force -- Poverty Status of People Who Did Not Work or Who Spent Time Out of the Labor Force: 2006 Below 100% of poverty -- Black Alone. Retrieved April 27, 2008 from the Current Population Survey: http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032007/pov/new24_100_06.htm

The above is from the rough-rough draft of a paper I am working on.

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written by lrandall, April 30, 2008

Racism is so institutionalized in our country, that unfortunately, I think the numbers you present will remain for some time to come. Of course we've made strides as a nation to overcome this barrier, but there's still a long way to go.

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written by Grassroot Vizir, April 30, 2008

Well, a lot of this is the legacy of slavery and racism. Historically, these issues have resulted from institutionalized racism. However, institutional racism also created cultural norms that have also contributed to this poverty. It is easier to reform the institutional aspects, but it will take far longer to reform the cultural aspects.

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written by Glennsopinions, April 30, 2008

OK, great. What are you going to do about it, or are you just going to give it lip service?

I had a half breed issue where I was not accepted by either group. Thank God, I had a mentor that kicked me in the ass and got me going rather than letting me feel sorry for myself. Perhaps that is why I spend so much time trying to show kids how to make it themselves rather than having them get dependent on a welfare state which only serves to keep us down. That's the real world.

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written by CenterLeftLiberal, May 13, 2008

"how to make it themselves rather than having them get dependent on a welfare state"

Only a small percentage become dependent on the welfare state; for most the welfare state is an institution of empowerement; after all that's why we subsidize education and health care so these kids CAN make it on their own; that's what the welfare state is for, so people have the freedom and opportunity to make it - this opprotunity requires an education, health care and adquate housing.

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written by Glennsopinions, May 20, 2008

I think that dependency on welfare is more widespread than you know. I can take you to area after area where the welfare rate is a generational thing and, in some cases make up a large percentage of the population of a small city or town. New Orleans was a great example. The welfare rate prior to Katrina was 46% (I don't know what it is now). Much of that population has not come back because they found jobs and a better life in the areas they evacuated to.
There are thousands of New Orleans transplants in Arizona right not.

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