people
� color are m.queady • ed
•. ..• . B dyD8lDica of
color IiDc are rapi
Cllallau. the cblographic posi-
of DOIIWhi�, bieb will
create political realities.
Afri Ameri are CUDeDt-
Iy the laigest liDgle group of
peope of col .
. In the 1990 Census, BI
should exceed 30 million
people. To-thirds of this
popd . on is located in only ten
: ew York, 2.4 million
people (as of 1980:4); .Califor
nia, 1.8 million; Texas, 1.7 mil
lion; Illinois, 1.7 million,
followed by Georgia, Florida,
North Carolina, Louisiana,
Michigan aod Ohio.
Significantly, the most recent
growth trends indicate that
BI Americans by increasing
numbers are returning to the
South, especially metropolitan
areas uch as Atlanta, Houston,
ew Orleans, Charlotte and Bir
mingham.
As of 1988, 56 percent of all
African-Americans resided in
the South, a gain of nearly. 3
millio over the 52 percent who
lived in the region in 1980.·
Most of the Blacks bo are
moving into the South are
yo er, in their twenties aDd
thirties many are white coll
. profe sionals and skilled
orkers. The est areas for
BI economic growth are also
in the Suabelt, the Southern
tat California d the outh
west
Hispanics represent the
f stest growing population
within the ne color line. -In
1980, the Census counted nearly
15 million Cuban Americans,
exican American, Puerto
Ri and other citizens of
Hispanic descent.
By 1990, the Census uld
count at lea t 21 million
Hisp nics. Before the year
2010, les than twenty years,
Hi panics will surpass African
Am means as the largest ingle
minority group.
like Black Americans, the
Latino population is heavily
concentrated in certain cities
s . Three fourths of the
total Latino pupulation is lo
cated in ooIy five . Califor
nia had 4.5 million lispanics
of 1980, followed by6 Tex
ith 3 million; New Yark, 1.7
millioo; f1. 900,000; aDd
Illinoi 650,000 Latinos.
Like Af . can-America ,
Hislpabi-CS alto haVe (bdoPed a
eries of political formations'
w hicb ocate civil ri.shts and
em erment.
The League of United Latin
American Citizens, es • bed
in 1928, and the G.I. Forum,
founded in 1948, parallel the
AAC.P. and League
01
mainstream, liberal orpniza
tions.
La Raza Unida Party and
other local activ· formab
represent more nationallist
orieoted d racical vicwpo·
Asian Americans �
the most ethni�y diverse 'of
the four major grou.- c1 peopl
of color. Like BI cks d
Hispanics, Asian AmeriCans
have experienced racism and
legal discrimination. During
World War II, thousands of
Japanese American were
forced into internment camps
and their property was seized.
By 1980, there were 3.3 mil:'
lion Asian Americans in the
U.S. The major groups included
the Chinese Americans, num
bering about 800,000; Filipinos,
800,000; Japanese-Americans,
720,000; nd Korean I
Americans, 380,000.
Native Americans have his
torically experienced the
greatest form of oJ'lX'elSiOD-
genocide. .
They have a unique status
among all other people of color,
in that the Indian tribes repre
sent unique legal entities, with
the power to levy taxes and to
regulate the usage of lands.
The Indian popdation is also
heavily concentrated geographi
cally, with more than half of the
total located in ix states:
California, ith More than
200,00 Indians in 1980; fol
lowed in population by Ok
I Arizooa, New Mexico,
orth Carolina and W hiogtoo
state.
What is the significance of
these demographic patterns of
people of color aross the U.S.?
Before the cod of the 199Os, ODe
third of the entire American
labor force ill consist of
BI cks, Hi pani , and other
people of color. Sy 2000, the
majority ofCalifomi 's popda
tion will be DODwhite. By 2020,
the majorities of many state
populations, especially in the
Sunbelt, will consist of people
of color. Between 2050 and
2070, the majority of the entire
U.S. popul tion will be non
white. The color line will be
transformed. The majority will
become a minority; the
minorities will be the majority .
The economic significance
of this new color line and its
demographic transformation by
the middle of the tweaty first
century is fundimentaJ. For ex
ample, hen Social Security
was establi bed, the ·0 of
productive workers w 0 con
tributed to the pension ystem
compared to recipient was
eventeeD to ODe.
By the end of thi decade, the
ratiodedines t03 to 1. By 2030,
the ratio will be 2 to 1.
Increasingly, there will be
retired, leisure eli over e 65
i'
hich will be almost totally
white, subsidized by groing
age dcdudioos made by an in
aasiag1y IlQIIWhite labor' foece,
Keep in mind th t the
average Black man DOW dies
abo OIl year before age sixty
five, aDd th bd'ore be collects
Social Security.
In the 19905 and well into the
oext century, it �iI1 be impera-
those populations such as
Mexican-Americans and Puerto
Ricans which already stand
the edge of achieving numerical
majorities in a muober of cities
and even states.
By a strategic alliance, I do
not mean a casual coalition
rooted in convenience and nar
row self-interests. What is re
quired IS a' coherent
coopperatives, and other
enterprises,
We can all benefit wh n af
firmatiye ction programs are
effectively eriforce within the
public sector.
tive for BI politicians, com
munity leaders and activists to
grasp the significance of these
demographic shifts and the rise
of the new color line.
We must forge a long term,
strategic alliance with the vast
majority of the e groups of
people of color, particularly
understanding of our collective
OOIDDlOO interests" economical
ly, socially, educationally, and
politically.
We all benefit when we in
crease the number of nonwhite
elected officals, government
employees and administrators,
who can in turn reallocate
resources to our communities.
we all benefit when we rein
force the economic base inside
the cities, creating opportunities
for minority-owned businesses,
We need to seize upon those
areas of commonallity nd
agreement" which speaks to the
practical, day -to-day necessities
of nonwhite working people,
and develops a progressive
agenda which pi ces the inter
ests 0 people ahead of private
p-ofil
We must mobilize around the .
color line, reaching to all non
whites and to those progressive,
antiracist whites who hare our
vision of democracy, to create a
new Am rican society.
•