Racial Wealth Divide in South Bend_ProsperityNow_Final_Rev

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For more information, visit www.prosperitynow.org The Racial Wealth Divide in South Bend SEPTEMBER 20174 For more information, visit www.prosperitynow.org The situation is most troubling for the African American community in South Bend. For almost all measures, African Americans fall significantly behind White residents in the city. For example, the median African American household income in South Bend is $14,000 lower than the national average. As such, 40.2% of African Americans in the city fall below the poverty line, a number which is almost twice the national poverty rate for African American households. Although all racial groups in South Bend face lingering economic challenges in the aftermath of deindustrialization, communities of color face the dual burdens of a weak local economy and deep racial economic inequality. As South Bend diversifies its economy to include green manufacturing, technology and the arts, a focused effort must be made to include South Bend’s diverse population. The median African American household income level in South Bend is $14,000 lower than African American national average and they hold an income poverty rate of 40.2%, which is almost two times higher than the country average for African Americans. Sources: South Bend Tribune. 2015. https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/south-bend-history-timeline/article_892b9131-779f-5506-8320-e472ba262a49.html The History Museum South Bend. http://historymuseumsb.org/research-history/local-history/