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Twenty-three percent of African Americans living in the US live in poverty, according to a report released by the Commerce Department. The report, "The Black Population in the United States: 2002", was released by the Commerce Department in the Spring of 2003 and was the first time that the Census Bureau looked at the state of African Americans in the US since the 2000 census.
Of the estimated 32.9 million people living in poverty in the US, 8.1 million were African Americans and African American children, under the age of six-teen, were three times more likely to live in poverty than white children. African American seniors were also three times more likely to live in poverty than white seniors.
Some encouraging news did come from the Commerce Department's report.
About fifty-two percent of African American married couples had an income of at least $50,000, twenty-seven percent had incomes of $75,000 or more, and according to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 259, 000 African American households had incomes above $100,000.
African Americans currently make up almost thirteen percent of the US population and over ten percent of the workforce.
Drachir Semaj Drachir is a freelance writer who writes articles for the African American Internet audience. Contact Drachir at drahcir@drahcirsemaj.com
