• In the Shadows of Poverty
• Strengthening the Rural Poverty Research
Capacity of the South
• July 23, 2004
• Veronica L. Womack
• Georgia College and State University
The American Black Belt
Region: A Forgotten Place
According to Falk and Rankin (1992),
“The Black Belt does constitute a region in which contiguous
counties have similar histories, socioeconomic organization
(dependent upon agriculture), and political realities (where,
in many instances, black could not vote as recently as 20
years ago), and unusually large black populations. There is
no other place in the United States that includes such a large
geographic territory, with so many people of one race, with so
much common history”. (300-302)
Blakely and Bradshaw (2002) Goals
of economic development strategies
are to provide:
1) basic quality jobs for the current
population,
2) achieve local economic stability, and
3) build a diverse economic and employment
base.
Three possible reasons for the lack of federal funding:
1. These areas may be dependent on low-skilled labor and private
industry may combat local governmental officials to keep them from
pursuing human capacity building funds to keep a surplus of
unskilled labor.
2. Rural Black Belt communities may have less local government
officials with the experience needed to apply for and receive grants.
3. Some state and local development officials may use the
metropolitan areas as “growth centers”. (25)
Devey-Tomaskovic and Roscigno (1996) believe the
South’s destructive economic development strategies
include:
The encouragement of racially split labor markets,
low wage job growth, the active and sometimes
violent discouragement of unionization by the state
as well as by employers, and very low levels (by
standards of advanced industrial societies) of
protective legislation for workers, transfer payments
to the poor, and controls over business activity (569).
The Black Belt Survey (2003) found that Black
Belt residents believe that the Black Belt is a
decent place to live, “but has major problems:
lack of jobs, a poor economy, bad roads, and
an inadequate education”. The citizens also
focus on the lack of local leadership stating,
“that a lack of leadership, the inability to
work together, politics and insufficient
resources” are all reasons for the Alabama
Black Belt’s problems.
Table 1
Alabama Black Belt Population
________________________________________________________________________________________
Counties
Population
Population Change(1990-2000)
African American Population
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
Clarke
29038
11714
21399
15922
27867
14.2
6.1
-2.3
-.6
2.3
46.3
73.1
40.8
44.1
43.0
Conecuh
Dallas
Escambia
Greene
Hale
Lowndes
14089
46365
38440
9974
17185
13473
.2
-3.7
6.2
-1.8
10.9
6.4
43.6
63.3
30.8
80.3
59.0
73.4
Macon
Marengo
Monroe
Perry
Pickens
Sumter
Washington
Wilcox
24105
22539
24324
11861
20949
14798
18097
13183
-3.3
-2.4
1.5
-7.0
1.2
-8.5
8.4
-2.8
84.6
51.7
40.1
68.4
43.0
73.2
26.9
71.9
Alabama
4447100
10.1
________________________________________________________________________________________
Source: United States Census 2000 State facts *Average 56% African American population
26.0
Healthcare Statistics of Alabama Black Belt
Counties
Infant Death Rate
Number of Physicians
Number of Hospital Beds
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
5.9
na
3.4
na
18
9
17
7
74
30
89
na
Clarke
Conecuh
Dallas
Escambia
Greene
Hale
6.1
31.3
8.3
16.3
6.1
3.7
17
7
96
31
6
5
103
na
304
118
72
30
Lowndes
Macon
Marengo
Monroe
Perry
22.4
10.8
2.9
7.8
22
4
23
15
18
4
na
na
99
59
76
Pickens
Sumter
Washington
Wilcox
na
na
8.5
na
13
6
7
3
50
na
103
322
Alabama
9.5
8733
16998
United States
2.2
693345
838988
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sources: US Census 2000 State Facts **306 Physicians and 1529 hospital beds in the region
9.5 Average of State and 7.2 average of US and 11.0 average for this region
Quality of Life in the Black Belt
Counties
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
Clarke
Population (%)
in poverty
23.8
29.2
23.4
22.3
21.8
Children in Poverty(%)
Violent crimes committed
32.0
34.2
30.8
29.6
29.9
6
132
4
4
25
Conecuh
Dallas
Escambia
Greene
Hale
27.4
29.7
20.8
35.5
26.6
39.2
39.2
27.8
44.6
34.1
19
504
215
64
58
Lowndes
Macon
Marengo
Monroe
Perry
31.5
31.9
23.9
21.6
36.6
39.4
40.4
32.6
30.5
45.2
59
108
62
202
5
Pickens
Sumter
23.5
33.1
32.9
40.1
29
24
Washington
Wilcox
19.0
36.1
25.4
44.0
21
12
Alabama
United States
16.2
13.3
23.8
19.9
20432
1328303
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Source: US Census Report 2000 State Facts **Black Belt Average population in poverty 27.3 **Children in Poverty in Alabama Black Belt 33.7, *** violent crimes
Economic Conditions of the Black Belt
Counties
per capita
% nat.
ave. Median home
Deposits*
sales shop
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
19360
15833
16776
17780
71.2
58.2
61.7
65.4
68600
56600
57700
60500
304.4
114.3
211.1
176.5
42
12
31
15
Clarke
Conecuh
Dallas
18309
18104
67.3
66.6
67900
58600
360.5
106.7
41
17
Escambia
17675
17654
65
64.9
64100
66700
381.9
413.2
63
56
Greene
Hale
Lowndes
Macon
Marengo
14874
15711
14741
15235
18959
54.7
57.8
54.2
56
69.7
57000
66300
55500
64200
65900
40.9
148.5
79.4
105
321.8
5
12
4
21
34
Monroe
Perry
Pickens
Sumter
Washington
Wilcox
18094
14190
17226
15071
17912
13728
66.5
52.2
63.3
55.4
65.8
50.5
66900
47600
66000
54000
63000
52200
253.6
105
225.3
108.6
114.5
115.5
34
11
14
21
13
17
22054
27203
81.1
85100
119,600
Alabama
United States
52 700.3
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Sources: US Census Report 2000 * millions **Average per Capita income of Region: $15814, *** Median worth of Homes
$61015, **** sum of Black Belt deposits 3686.7 , Number of shops in Black Belt= 463
Table 6
Federal Funds in the Alabama Black Belt
________________________________________________________________________________________
Counties
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
Federal Funds
130.2
61.1
121.7
78.9
Total (per Capita) Direct Payments (ind.)
4873
5383
5656
5087
3316
3248
3581
3293
Grants
1195
1842
1852
1385
Clarke
Conecuh
Dallas
Escambia
Greene
Hale
144.7
76.6
314.8
175.1
68.6
86.6
5033
5590
6745
4776
7029
5133
3138
3892
3919
3332
3396
3486
1623
1367
1524
1002
3232
1317
Lowndes
Macon
Marengo
Monroe
71.1
70.8
114.1
108.0
5457
8560
4925
4505
2722
3499
3040
3031
2308
1675
1374
1086
Perry
Pickens
Sumter
Washington
Wilcox
70.8
109.5
81.0
78.7
81.9
Alabama
US
26775.6
5116775.0
5613
5207
5189
4435
6105
6127
5562
3499
3550
3110
3012
3586
3449
294 6
1675
1389
1773
1233
2072
1060
1058
Source: US Census Bureau County and City Data Book 2000
*Federal Funds sum of 2044.3 (million) in Alabama Black Belt, ** Total per capita $5542 (dollars) federal funds, *** Direct payments (per capita)
$3350 (dollars), **** Grants (per capita) of counties $1627(dollars)
***** US total per capita funds $5562
Table 7
Work Environment in the Alabama Black Belt
________________________________________________________________________________________
Counties
Meantime to work
(minutes)
Workers
(production)
Manufacturing
20 or more
Manufacturing
employees
Unemployment (%)
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
Clarke
23.1
26
26.3
37.8
26.2
2783
na
1799
na
2391
41
6
27
12
32
53.70%
33.30%
55.60%
50%
46.90%
5.1
9.9
11.3
8.6
8.9
Conecuh
Dallas
Escambia
Greene
Hale
Lowndes
26.2
23.6
25.5
28.8
29
36.3
4240
2666
na
1246
na
na
21
53
53
na
16
10
47.60%
50.90%
32.10%
na
56.30%
40.00%
7.4
10.5
4.7
10.3
7.6
11.8
Macon
Marengo
Monroe
Perry
Pickens
Sumter
Washington
Wilcox
25.4
25.5
23.3
33.7
30
28
34.6
31.3
na
18
28
8
21
15
12
12
na
61.19%
53.60%
62.50%
52.40%
53.30%
41.70%
41.70%
6.1
4.7
9
11.7
10.6
13.2
12.3
11.8
33.10%
38.40%
4.0
4.6
na
1366
3718
775
958
618
na
na
Alabama
24.8
275637
5444
US
12124001
363753
Source: US Census Bureau County and City Data Book 2000
Table 8
The Educational Levels of the Alabama Black Belt
______________________________________________________________________________________
Bachelor’s Degree
Counties
High School Degree
Barbour
Bullock
Butler
Choctaw
Clarke
55.6
49
52.8
54.3
60.3
11.8
10.0
8.0
8.5
10.8
Conecuh
Dallas
Escambia
Greene
Hale
Lowndes
52.7
59.8
59.9
53.8
54.4
56.7
6.4
12.2
7.6
10.4
8.9
8.2
Macon
Marengo
Monroe
Perry
Pickens
Sumter
Washington
Wilcox
61.9
61.4
59.2
51
56.2
52.4
58.2
51.1
18.0
11.5
10.8
11.5
6.6
11.1
6.7
10.3
Alabama
United States
66.9
75.2
15.7
20.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County and City Data Book: 2000. ** Average 55.8 with high school degree and 9.9 Bachelors for Alabama Black
Belt
These pieces of legislation include:
**HR 678 the Southern Empowerment and
Economic Development (SEED) Act of 2003:
DBBRA (Delta Black Belt Regional Authority)
sponsored by Artur Davis (7th District, AL);
**HR 141 which is a reintroduction of the 107th
Congress bill HR 3618: SECA (South East Crescent
Authority) sponsored by Congressman Mike
McIntyre (7th District, NC) and
**S.527 entitled the Southern Regional Commission
Act: SRC or the Southern Regional Commission
which is sponsored by Zell Miller of Georgia
Southern Regional Commission
SRC
Duties include:
*Develop comprehensive regional plan and establish
priorities and approve grants for the development of
the region
*Assess the regions needs and assets
*Support and coordinate state initiatives to combat
persistent poverty
*Promote coordinated multi-county efforts to
maximize local resources and effectiveness
*Support community-based efforts
*Support local development districts
*Encourage private investment in the region
*Utilize the research of land grant institutions in each
state for research support
SRC
Coverage area:
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
Program Priorities:
*Life-long learning prospects
*Access to healthcare
*Job training and Skills training
*Business development
*Affordable housing
*Local leadership development
*Public Infrastructure including
high technology infrastructure
Must meet the definition of
persistent poverty (which has been defined as
counties with a high percentage of its residents living in
poverty for over twenty years).
This Commission would be funded
at $20 million a year to 2008.
DBBRA Delta Black Belt Regional
Authority
Delta Regional Authority’s original states
of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and
Tennessee, but it would also add Florida,
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Texas and Virginia.
552 counties
Duties include:
*Develop comprehensive plans,
establish priorities, and approve grant
proposals
*Facilitate and coordinate interstate
relations
*Review the needs and assets of the
region and support State government
and Local Development Districts with
economic development strategies
*Assist private investment in the region
CRB (Constituency Representation Board)
This Constituency Representation Board would consist of representatives
from each congressional district in the authority. Representatives would
be selected by the Governor of the state after they have been nominated
by their Congressional representative.
These representatives must represent Community-based, Faith-based
organizations or institutions of higher learning.
The representatives must reside in distressed areas of the district, have
experience as a community and economic development practitioner, and
have direct contact with the impoverished population.
This Board would provide Congress with an annual report on the
activities of the funded projects
Program Priorities:
Basic public infrastructure in distressed counties/areas.
Transportation infrastructure to facilitate economic
development.
Business development (emphasis on entrepreneurship).
Job training or employment-related education.
Educational improvements including adult and remedial
education.
Access to affordable, quality healthcare in rural areas.
Elimination of sub-standard housing facilities
Funding for the authority would be
over $500 million dollars after a
five year period of time with $100
million dollars a year until 2008
**Twenty percent or more of the
authority’s funding would have to go to
community based organizations, faithbased organizations, or institutions of
higher education for programs within the
proposed funding priorities.
Funding for transportation and
infrastructure would be capped at 25
percent.
Program Priorities:
Business Development
Job training or skills training
Local planning and leadership development
Basic public infrastructure in distressed
areas
Infrastructure that promotes economic
development
Other economic development projects
SECA
Southeastern Crescent Authority
Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Virginia
406 counties
The Southeast Crescent Authority
would be funded $40 million a year
for a five year period until 2008.
Duties:
1. Develop plans for the Southern
Region
2. Assess region’s needs and assets
3. Support local development
districts
4. Encourage private investments
Contact your
Congressional
Representatives
What did the people want?
Federal Commission Priorities:
1. Broad based representation at the
board level
2. Get community input (on strategic
planning)
3. Allocate resource through direct
contact with people who work
directly with persistent poverty
population
Areas of Importance (Strategic Areas)
1. Comprehensive community
planning
2. Education
3. Community Economic
Development
4. Resource development(capital and
assets creation)
Priority Areas
1. Education
2. Healthcare
3. Transportation
4. Housing
5. Economic Development
6. Infrastructure Development
(no more than 25% for roads and
bridges
Coming up with nontraditional
intergovernmental, multi-county,
community-based relationships
may be necessary to successfully
implement any economic
development strategy.
The time has come to address the
problems of the Black Belt
comprehensively not county by
county, state by state but as a region.
We can no longer afford to identify
this region as a “forgotten region”.