WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN
THE UNITED STATES
PAST AND CURRENT
DISCRIMINATION
WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE THESE GOALS

“We hold these truths to be self
evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these
are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.”

1776--- DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE THESE GOALS

“We the people in order to form a
more perfect union, establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defense, promote the
general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of
America.”

1788-- PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WOMEN IN AMERICA

Women represent 50.8% of
the population.
Population
Women
Men
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WOMEN IN AMERICA

In America today women earn 72
cents for every $1 a man earns. At
least 1/3 of this pay gap---or
$0.11---is due to discrimination.
This is true 38 years after the
Congress passed the Equal Pay Act
in 1974.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WOMEN IN AMERICA

The 19th amendment to the
Constitution passed in 1920
gave the women the right to
vote in state and federal
elections. This was first
proposed in Congress in
1878 and was considered 8
times before it was passed.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
WOMEN IN AMERICA

Progress is being made: the
unemployment rate for women
(8.1%) is less than the rate
(9.5%) for men; more women
than men are graduating from
college; and women now hold
15 % of the seats in Congress.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
OVERVIEW: RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
IN AMERICA

The 2010 US census taken every 10
years recognizes 6 official races:
White, American Indian and Alaska
Native, Asian, Black or African
American, Native Hawaiian and
Pacific Islanders, and people of two
or more races.

The 2010 US census also classifies
Americans as “Hispanic or Latino”
as an ethnic group (not a racial
group) that typically share Spanish
as their first language.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
OVERVIEW: RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
IN AMERICA

White Americans are 66% of the
total population.

Hispanic and Latino are 15% of the
total population and are the largest
ethnic minority in the US; projected
to grow to 29% by 2050.

Black Americans are 13% of the total
population and are the largest racial
minority.

Asians are 4.8% of the population
and are projected to triple by 2050.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
BLACK AMERICANS (AFRICAN-AMERICANS)BACKGROUND

55% of black Americans live
in the south; they are also
heavily concentrated in large
cities across the country.

Black high school graduation
rate is 51% (the US average
is 70%).
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
BLACK AMERICANS (AFRICAN-AMERICANS)BACKGROUND

The black unemployment rate is
13.9 % (the US average is 8.6%).
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
BLACK AMERICANS (AFRICAN-AMERICANS)BACKGROUND

The black poverty level is 27.4% (the US average is 15.1%).
Poverty is defined as having an annual income for a family
of 4 below $22,350.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
BLACK AMERICANS (AFRICAN-AMERICANS)BACKGROUND

1 out of 11 black adults are in some part of the
correctional system (the US average is 1 out of 31).
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
LAWS PASSED TO ADDRESS DISCRIMINATION AGAINSTS BLACKS
(AND ALL MINORITES)

The 13th amendment to the Constitution (1865) abolished slavery.

The 14th amendment to the Constitution (1868) required that all citizens be given
equal protection by all state and national laws.

The 15th amendment to the Constitution (1870) gave black males the right to vote.

The Supreme Court decision of 1954 (Brown vs. the Board of Education) required
schools to be integrated.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in employment and public
accommodations and created affirmative action as a remedy to past discrimination.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited state laws and regulations that denied the
right of us citizens to vote.

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 outlawed discrimination in the rental or sale of realestate.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
HISPANICS AND LATINOS
(may be of any race)

The Hispanic and Latino
unemployment rate is
11.3% (US average is
8.6%).

The poverty rate is 35%
(US average is 15.1%).
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
HISPANICS AND LATINOS
(may be of any race)

The high school graduation
rate is 52% (US average is
70%).

1 our of 27 are in the
correctional system (US
average is 1 out of 31).
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
HISPANICS AND LATINOS
(may be of any race)

42% live in the West and this
group is growing due to
immigration (both legal and
illegal) and higher birth rate.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
ASIAN AMERICANS

46% live in the West.

The high school graduation
rate is 79% (US average is
70%; the white rate is 72%).
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
ASIAN AMERICANS

The unemployment rate is 6.7% (US average is 8.6; the
white rate is 7.2%)
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERRACIAL MARIAGES IN AMERICA
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERRACIAL MARIAGES IN AMERICA

Last year 15% of new
marriages were interracial;
the total of new and
existing interracial
marriages equal 4.8 million
or 1 in 12 couples.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERRACIAL MARIAGES IN AMERICA

The Supreme Court in 1967
(45 years ago) barred racebased marriage restrictions;
it took Alabama until 2000
to change its unenforceable
law that barred interracial
marriages.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERRACIAL MARIAGES IN AMERICA

“Are mixed marriages a change for the better?”
61% of 18-29 year- olds said “yes”;
28% of those over 65 said “yes”.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERRACIAL MARIAGES IN AMERICA

83% of all Americans say it’s ok for whites and blacks to date
each other; up from 48% in 1987.

63% said it would be ok for a family member to marry outside
the family’s race.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERRACIAL MARIAGES IN AMERICA

In the past century interracial marriages have evolved
from being illegal to “a taboo” to “unusual” to “less and
less unusual”. This says a lot about race relations in
America.
WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES