Vital Signs: Statistics That Measure the State of Racial Inequality

In each issue, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education collects statistics bearing on the relative positions of blacks and whites in American society. Some of these statistics are interesting but not particularly important whereas others are highly relevant and critical to the overall measurement of racial progress.

• Number of black first-year students at Cornell University in the fall of 2008: 142
• Number of black first-year students at Cornell University in the fall of 2009: 259
(Cornell University Office of Admissions)

• Black percentage of the freshman class at Columbia University in 2004: 6.8%
• Black percentage of the freshman class at Columbia University in 2009: 13.5%
(Columbia University Office of Admissions)

• Percentage of all black high school students in the state of Alabama in the 2006-07 academic year who dropped out of school: 2.8%
• Percentage of all black high school students in the state of Michigan in the 2006-07 academic year who dropped out of school: 16.6%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of states in 2007 where the white high school student dropout rate exceeded the dropout rate for black high school students: 0
• Number of states in 2007 where the black high school student dropout rate was at least double the dropout rate for white high school students: 21
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of black students entering high school in the United States in 2004 who graduated within four years: 60.3%
• Percentage of white students entering high school in the United States in 2004 who graduated within four years: 80.3%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of all non-Hispanic whites in 2008 who were not covered by either private or government-sponsored health insurance: 10.4%
• Percentage of all non-Hispanic blacks in 2008 who were not covered by either private or government-sponsored health insurance: 16.0%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of non-Hispanic whites in 2008 who failed to obtain needed medical care due to the cost: 6.0%
• Percentage of non-Hispanic blacks in 2008 who failed to obtain needed medical care due to the cost: 8.3%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of non-Hispanic whites over the age of 65 in 2008 who received an influenza vaccination: 69.9%
• Percentage of non-Hispanic blacks over the age of 65 in 2008 who received an influenza vaccination: 50.6%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of non-Hispanic whites over the age of 18 in 2008 who participated in regular leisure-time physical activity: 35.4%
• Percentage of non-Hispanic blacks over the age of 18 in 2008 who participated in regular leisure-time physical activity: 24.6%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of non-Hispanic whites over the age of 18 in 2008 who regularly smoked cigarettes: 22.5%
• Percentage of non-Hispanic blacks over the age of 18 in 2008 who regularly smoked cigarettes: 20.6%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of non-Hispanic whites over the age of 18 in 2008 who reported binge drinking over the past year: 26.2%
• Percentage of non-Hispanic blacks over the age of 18 in 2008 who reported binge drinking over the past year: 13.9%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of non-Hispanic whites over the age of 18 in 2008 who had ever been tested for HIV/AIDS: 36.7%
• Percentage of non-Hispanic blacks over the age of 18 in 2008 who had ever been tested for HIV/AIDS: 54.4%
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Percentage of all American children who are African Americans: 15%
• Percentage of all American children in foster care who are African Americans: 32%
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

• Percentage of all employed white Americans in 2008 who worked at home: 4.5%
• Percentage of all employed African Americans in 2008 who worked at home: 2.3%
(U.S. Census Bureau)

• Black percentage of all degree earners at private not-for-profit higher educational institutions in 2008: 8.9%
• Black percentage of all degree earners at private for-profit higher educational institutions in 2008: 16.7%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of white high school graduates in 2005 who took career/technical education courses in business: 39.5%
• Percentage of African-American high school graduates in 2005 who took career/technical education courses in business: 45.7%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Percentage of white high school graduates in 2005 who took career/technical education courses in health-related fields: 8.9%
• Percentage of African-American high school graduates in 2005 who took career/technical education courses in health-related fields: 12.5%
(U.S. Department of Education)

• Number of states in which 80 percent or more of all white students graduate from high school in the standard four-year period: 23
• Number of states in which 80 percent or more of all black students graduate from high school in the standard four-year period: 5 — Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, North Dakota, and Idaho
(U.S. Department of Education)

Note: Boldface type suggests items of positive or important change.

JBHE Past Vital Statistics

• Issue No. 63 – Spring 2009
• Issue No. 62 – Winter 2008/09
• Issue No. 61 – Autumn 2008
• Issue No. 60 – Summer 2008
• Issue No. 59 – Spring 2008
• Issue No. 58 – Winter 2007/08
• Issue No. 57 – Autumn 2007
• Issue No. 55 – Spring 2007
• Issue No. 54 – Winter 2006/07
• Issue No. 53 – Autumn 2006
• Issue No. 52 – Summer 2006
• Issue No. 51 – Spring 2006
• Issue No. 50 – Winter 2005/2006
• Issue No. 49 – Autumn 2005