WELCOME
Rural Poverty Research Center
About the Conference
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Advisory committee provide important guidance on the
focus of the conference
Most papers on this agenda are a direct outgrowth of a
response to an SRDC call for papers
Select number of other papers were invited to provide
balance to the topics
Wanted to attract some of the best researchers in the
South
Also wanted to have the “real life challenges” associated
with poverty showcased at the conference. The
Grassroots Panel is an important aspect of ensuring that
this happens.
One of the most critical
questions is . . .
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What will happen after this conference
is over?
It is up to all of us to determine what
direction we should take in launching a
significant poverty research and policy
effort in the South.
Poverty Status of
Individuals
Percent of Population Below Poverty
by Race and Ethnicity, 1990 & 2000
1990
35
2000
33.3
30
26.4
25
28.4
23.1
20
15
10
16.1
12.4
11.5
10.4
5
0
Overall
White
Black
Hispanic
Number of Persons in the South in
Poverty,1990 & 2000
Year
Group
1990
2000
Numerical
Change
White
6,715,377
6,811,078
95,701
Black
4,489,669
4,247,753
-241,916
Hispanic
1,807,293
2,533,139
725,846
12,182,404 12,635,394
452,990
Overall
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Poverty Shifts in Metro and Nonmetro
Areas of the South, 1990-2000
Metropolitan
Nonmetropolitan
Group
Number
Overall
730,357
9.3 - 277,367
- 6.5
White
265,815
6.4 - 170,114
- 6.7
Black
- 40,522
- 1.4 - 201,394
- 13.3
Hispanic
631,023
42.2
Percent
Number
94,823
Percent
30.2
The Economic
Features of the Region
Type of Industries
Classified by Each Sector
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Goods Producing
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Farm
Agricultural
Services
Mining
Manufacturing
Construction
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Service Producing
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Transportation and Public
Utilities
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Finance, Insurance and
Real Estate
Services
Government and
Government Enterprises
The Industrial Profile of Full and Part-Time
Jobs in the South,1990 and 2000
Goods Producing
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Service Producing
76.1
79.4
23.9
20.6
1990
Source: Regional Economic Information System (REIS)
2000
Proportion of New Full and Part-Time Jobs
Generated by Each Sector, 1990-2000
Service
Producing
91.6 %
8.4 %
Goods Producing
0
20
40
Source: Regional Economic Information System (REIS)
60
80
100
Educational Credentials of
the Region
Educational Status of Metro and
Nonmetro Southerners,
1990 and 2000
LT HS
HS
Some college
Associates
Bachelors +
Nonmetro
2000
29.7
39
1990
Metro
2000
1990
0%
33.9
20.2
31.3
26.8
25.2
27.7
20%
18.2
40%
4.6
14.1
22
19.6
60%
6
4.1
13.5
11.1
25
5.7
80%
20.9
100%
Educational Status of Metro &
Nonmetro Southerners by Race, 2000
LT HS
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
High School
15.1
5.7
Some College
6.9
3.5
15
22.8
33.8
Associates
13
4.6
16.1
Bachelors +
5.9
2.5
11
22.7
21.7
29.3
27.1
Metro Blacks
40.7
44.6
NM Blacks
Metro
Hispanics
57.8
NM Hispanics