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Black Elected Officials

Running head: Black Elected Officials by office

Exercise #2

Black Elected Officials by Office, 1970 to 2002, and State, 2002

Duane E. Cruse Jr.

SOWK 300

Tuskegee University

September 22, 2010


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Abstract

In this paper I will provide an analysis on Black elected officials (BEOs) by office, from 1970 to 2002, and
state, 2002. This paper will look at elected officials over a large period of time and seek to determine a
trend in African American officials. The researcher will examine states and factors that cause greater
African American elected officials. Study shows that as of January 2002, no black elected officials had
been identified in the states of Montana and Dakota. I will conclude that from the years of 1970 to 2002,
the number of black elected officials has increased extensively.
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Problem Identification

From the years of 1970 to 2002, there’re more black elected officials in the southern states than
in the northern states of America. City and county offices in the north has a low rate of black
elected officials, whereas the south has the largest rate of city and county offices from the years
1970 to 2002. The two states with the largest number of blacks holding office were Mississippi
and Alabama. Mississippi and Alabama combined total is greater than the nationwide total in
1970. Certain increases were results of blacks being elected to offices that were formerly held by
non-blacks.

The top five states with the highest number of BEOs were Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana,
Illinois, and Georgia. In 1970, the 10 states with the highest number of BEOs collectively had
821, while in 2000 the top 10 states had 5,887. In 1970, the first year in which the researcher
collected data on BEOs, there were 1,469 BEOs.

Problem description

In order to get more blacks to run for office in the northern parts of America, blacks must focus
on the social issue that is keeping BEOs from gaining elected positions in the north. There
should be a program that funds minorities who would run for a position. It is imperative for
African Americans to continue to increase as BEOs to keep up the growing economy.

In order to have diversity as it relates to race, African Americans must withhold the increasing
standard that has bee continuously moving forward according to research from 1970 to 2002.
One way to have BEOs more efficient in the north is to simply look at how the south maintained
a steady large increase every year.

One reason African Americans in the north are not getting elected is because the city the African
American is running in may be majority white. Having more BEOs in the north will create a
more visible appreciation for social mobility. It will become more relevant to African Americans
on how being black in America you can be part of anything.

Findings

The first graph I chose was Black Elected in Office in 1979 to 2002. This graph shows the different states
(with the exception of Montana and South Dakota) and how the BEOs have increased around America.
U. S. and state legislatures, city and county offices, law enforcement, and education are all the
categories on this graph. The majority of the states have increased over the years of 1970 to 2002 by at
least .8%.
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The north has increased less than the south as it relates to BEOs. In the north, only certain categories
show an increase in elections. Whereas the other states from the north remained the same in certain
areas. In five states, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, the total increase
between 1970 and 2000 was over tenfold.

In 2000, Mississippi and Alabama together had more black elected officials than the entire nation had in
1970; the 10 states with the highest number of BEOs collectively had 821. In 2000 the top 10 had 5,887.

Magnitude

According to the researcher, the importance of BEOs from 1970 to 2002 is critical to racial
diversity in government. Without racial diversity in the north, the will always be a concern of
equality as it relates to government. Having the south with the highest number of African
Americans as elected officials will create division between the north and the south.

Being that African Americans make up of 12% of America, the affects of this matter only
influence the minority. The majority is not included in this research. I would argue that African
Americans have a major influence on the majority, so when a major change happens in the black
community the majority is affected.

The cost of this problem has resulted in unnecessary tax cuts. The majority of the BEOs are
democrats, which means whenever we have a republican as president the democrats receive the
stimulus money last. Not having BEOs in the north has caused black to turn to their own politics
because of the notion that someone outside of the neighborhood didn’t understand the things that
happen in that neighborhood.

Being that the majority of the BEOs are democrat, when there is a primary in the north the voice
of the African Americans will not be heard. Promoting social mobility in the north is key to
taking away the segregation that we have between the north and the south.

Scope

According to someone who may be liberal the rage of this problem has not reach a peak. For
someone who is not part of this class may not see it reasonable, to act on this problem as a major
concern. As far as the problem itself it spreads from east to west dividing north and south.

Being that the researcher used every state to show analysis on BEOs, the percentage of people
who were/is affected is 12%. The percentage is 12% because African Americans make up of
12% of America. As the years passed, the number of blacks increased as part of the officials.
One exception to this percentage would Montana and South Dakota because no black elected
officials had been identified during the research.
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Changes

From 1970 to 2003 the BEOs has increased at least seven fold. This is a remarkable
accomplishment. Study show that over the years the BEO will increase and become the majority
on newly elected officials. The largest categorical increase in BEOs between 1998 and 1999 was
in municipal office, where the total increased by 153 positions. The other category where
increases occurred was in education, with 55 more positions.

Disparities

When it comes to government in America, ethnicity has a major role. Some deference’s in the
problem are race, and age. Whites were elected more than other races. The older you are the
more likely you are to receive a higher position in the government ladder. Depending on what
part of America you are from the likelihood of African Americans winning an election. If a
African American were to run in the south he or she has a better chance of winning to say if he
or she were in the north.

Data Tables
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References

U.S. Census Bureau “Election in America” Table 395, Member of congress-Selected


Characteristics: 1993 to 2007

(http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0395.pdf)

U.S. Census Bureau “ Black Elected Officials by Office, 1970 to 2002, and State, 2002

(http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0404.pdf)

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