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FDLP Resource Guides

Then and Now Experiences of Blacks and African Americans

Overview

Blacks and African Americans face many issues that impact their livelihood and civil rights in today's society. Learn about some of these issues and U.S. Government resources that provide additional information.

Crimes (Violent Deaths and Hate Crimes)

According to the Centers of Disease Control's WISQARS, homicide was among the ten leading causes of death for Blacks and African Americans between 2018 and 2022:

  • Second for ages 1-4
  • Second for ages 5-9
  • Second for ages 10-14
  • First for ages 15-24
  • Second for ages 25-34
  • Third for ages 35-44

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to domestic violence and hate crimes.

Screenshot of "Hate Crimes: Key Federal Statutes"

Congressional Research Service

Read more about some Federal statutes concerning hate crimes.

Screenshot of "Federal Bureau of Investigation: Crime Data Explorer"

Federal Bureau of Investigation (U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ))

Explore interactive data to view hate crime information.

Screenshot of "Results of Review and Evaluation of the Tulsa Race Massacre"

Office of Public Affairs (DOJ)

Review the latest DOJ report on the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Screenshot of Office on Violence Against Women's website

Office on Violence Against Women (DOJ)

See resources from this office, which "provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking."

Screenshot of "Domestic or Intimate Partner Violence"

Office on Women's Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

Learn about the spectrum of intimate partner violence, its effects, and legal steps to get protection.

Criminal Justice Reform

Approximately "60% of black and 58% of American Indian or Alaska Native federal prisoners" have a "medium or high risk of recidivism, compared to about 36% of white and 25% Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander federal prisoner" as of 2023.^

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to criminal justice reform.

^Bureau of Justice Statistics

Screenshot of "Bureau of Justice Statistics"

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Search for news releases and reports on criminal justice statistics.

Screenshot of "Criminal Justice Reform"

Congressional Black Caucus

Find related news and reports on this topic.

Screenshot of "Congress and Police Reform: Current Law"

Congressional Research Service

Explore these reports on topics from unconstitutional policing to racial profiling.

Screenshot of "Mass Incarceration and Racial Inequality"

National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Read some articles made available for free by NLM:

Screenshot of "Racial and Ethnic Disparity in Juvenile Justice Processing"

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (U.S. Department of Justice)

Dive into data concerning "racial and ethnic disproportionality" in the juvenile justice system.

Screenshot of "2023 Demographic Differences in Federal Sentencing"

U.S. Sentencing Commission

See the report that finds "differences in sentence length when comparing demographic groups of individuals sentenced for a federal offense."

Education

The national average for adjusted cohort graduation rate for public high school students in the 2021–2022 school year was 87%; however, for the rate for Blacks and African Americans was at 81%.^

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to education.

^National Center for Education Statistics

Screenshot of "Fast Facts: Dropout Rates"

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

View data from NCES, including

Screenshot of "Civil Rights for Kids and Educators"

National Park Service

Check out lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school students.

Screenshot of "Rising Educational Attainment among Blacks or African Americans in the Labor Force, 1992 to 2018"

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Explore educational attainment and labor force trends for Blacks and African Americans between 1992 and 2018.

Screenshot of "Black High School Attainment Nearly on Par With National Average"

U.S. Census Bureau

Analyze demographic statistics on recent Black educational trends.

Screenshot of "Stopbullying.gov"

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Find resources on how to help prevent and stop bullying, focusing primarily on resources for children.

Screenshot of "Racial Disparities in Education and the Role of Government"

U.S. Government Accountability Office

See data trends on school discipline, quality of education, and disparity in schools.

Employment Discrimination

Do you know that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that it is "unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment?"^

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to employment discrimination.

^U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Screenshot of "More than a Century of Occupational Changes among African American Workers"

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Explore data on the American labor force, including African American workers' occupational trends since 1900. 

Screenshot of "African-Americans in the American Workforce"

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Learn more long-term employment trends for African Americans and types of employment discrimination.

Health and Safety

According to the Centers for Diseases Control WONDER, the top 10 leading causes of death between 2018 and 2023 for Blacks and African Americans are heart disease, cancer, accidents (unintentional injuries), cerebrovascular disease, COVID-19, diabetes, assault (homicide), chronic lower respiratory diseases, kidney disease, and Alzheimer disease.

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to health and safety.

Screenshot of 'Understanding Health Disparities Series"

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Explore data on a range of topics, including on health equity, food accessibility and insecurity, health disparities, and more.

Screenshot of "MyHealthfinder.gov"

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

Discover health information, including health conditions, doctor visits, healthy living, and more.

Screenshot of 'Office of Minority Health" website

Office of Minority Health (U.S. Centers for Disease Control)

Check out resources from this office.

Screenshot of "Black/African American Health"

Office of Minority Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

See demographic information, including on health insurance coverage, health disparity, and more.

Screenshot of "Black and African American Community"

Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

Find information on how to prepare for disasters.

Screenshot of "Addressing Racial Disparities in Water Safety"

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Learn more about swimming disparities among children.

Screenshot of "Advancing Better Health Through Better Understanding for Black and African American Communities"

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Read about healthcare and health disparities for Blacks and African Americans, including fact sheets, reports, and journal articles.

Homeownership

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the end of 2023, the rate of White homeownership is 73.8% and the rate of Black and African American homeownership is 45.9%. The national average is 65.7%. 

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to homeownership. 

Screenshot of "The Effects of the 1930s HOLC "Redlining" Maps (Revised August 2020)"

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

See the long-term effects of redlining maps between 1930 and 2010.

Screenshot of "Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity"

Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE)

Find information about PAVE, including its action plan.

Screenshot of "Closing the African American Homeownership Gap"

Office of Policy Development and Research (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

Learn about homeownership trends since the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Screenshot of "Homeownership by Race and Ethnicity of Householder"

U.S. Census Bureau

Explore data on demographics and homeownership.

Screenshot of "Racial Differences in Economic Security: Housing"

U.S. Department of the Treasury

Read about the racial wealth gap in relation to homeownership rates.

Poverty

The U.S. Census Bureau's report, Poverty in the United States: 2022, states that 17% of Blacks and African Americans in 2022 live below the poverty line, which is higher than the national average of the total population (11.5%).

Click on the "Information" tab in this box to learn about topics related to poverty. 

Screenshot of "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)"

Food and Nutrition Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Find a program or service for income-eligible households.

Screenshot of "Black Individuals Had Record Low Official Poverty Rate in 2022"

U.S. Census Bureau

Read about the poverty rate for Black individuals from 1959 to 2022.

Screenshot of "Fair Lending"

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

See information on

Screenshot of "Government Benefits"

USA.gov (U.S. General Services Administration)

Explore the many government assistance programs available to citizens, including