Racial disparities impact health, pay, home ownership, more for Black Americans

An all-time high of 47.2 million people living in the United States are Black, that’s up 30% from 2000. According to Pew Research, Texas has the largest Black population and New York has more Black residents than any other city. Yet the numbers are not the only thing changing — so are the disparities between Black and white Americans.

Kamala Harris is the first Black female vice president. At just 35, Dr. Jessica Watkins is the first Black woman to complete an international space station long-term mission. Dr. Kezzmekia Corbett is the lead scientist on the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. They are all women of color breaking down barriers — and the list goes on.

Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Halle Berry, Oprah, Michelle Obama — all Black women reaching the top. But for many, the battle to get to an equal playing field has not been easy.

Today, 36% of Black women have a college degree, compared to 51% of white women. And reports reveal Black women are paid 64% of what white men are paid, and the rate of home ownership is 45% in the Black community, compared to 74 among white Americans.

The disparities impact health as well. African Americans are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, asthma, and pneumonia.

“The leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease followed closely by cancer,” said Joshua Bundy, an epidemiologist at Tulane University School of Public Health.

Bundy said you can’t fix just one issue to bridge the gap. The country must look at how all these factors impact the others.

“It bears making sure that we understand that all of these things are likely interrelated with one another,” Bundy said.

And the more we become aware of it, the more likely we will be able to continue closing the gaps.

Unless system-wide changes are made now, a report from a Washington-based think tank predicts it could take 228 years for African American households’ wealth to reach that of white families.