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The State of the Dream 2004: Enduring Disparities in Black and White

Poverty, continued

Child Poverty

• Almost a third of Black children live in poverty -- 32.1% in 2002. The child poverty gap would take 210 years to disappear, not reaching parity until 2212.

[image:] Graph with the following text:
Child Poverty Rate, 1968 and 2002
1968 White 10.7%
1968 Black 43.1%
2002 White 8.9%
2002 Black 32.1%
Years to Parity: 210
Parity Year: 2212

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Historical Poverty Tables, Table 3. Figures are for related children in families. See Appendix for Years to Parity calculation.

In the richest nation in the world, almost one-quarter of African Americans live in poverty. The difference in poverty rates between Black and white Americans is only slowly eroding.

For people over age 65, the gap between African Americans and white Americans is actually widening. In 1968, Black seniors' poverty level, 47.7%, was just over twice that of white seniors, at 23.1%. In 2002, the poverty rate among Black seniors, 23.8%, was nearly three times the 8.3% rate among white seniors.

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United for a Fair Economy • Racial Wealth Divide Project 11