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Facts for Features: *Special Edition* 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act: July 2
Facts for Features: *Special Edition* 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act: July 2
Press Release Number: CB14-FF.17
On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. This landmark law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in public accommodations, in publicly owned or operated facilities, in employment and union membership and in the registration of voters. To mark the anniversary, the U.S. Census Bureau has gathered key statistics that measure changes in some characteristics of different race groups to date.
Note: This analysis uses the closest available year for each race/ethnic group to the historic act. Analysis is limited because of limited historical data for all racial and ethnic groups.
Population
| 1964 | 2013 |
| 20,671,914 The total estimated black population in the United States. |
41,623,897 The total estimated black population in the United States. |
| 10.8% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was black. |
13.2% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was black. |
| 1970 | 2013 |
| 9.6 million The total estimated Hispanic population in the United States. |
54.1 million The total estimated Hispanic population in the United States. |
| 4.7% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was Hispanic. |
17.1% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was Hispanic. |
| 1960 | 2013 |
| 980,337 The total Asian and Pacific Islander population in the United States. |
16,632,553 The total estimated Asian population in the United States. |
| 0.5% The percentage of the U.S. population that was Asian and Pacific Islander. |
5.3% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was Asian. |
| 1960 | 2013 |
| 551,669 The total American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population in the United States. |
3,910,028 The total estimated American Indian and Alaska Native population in the United States. |
| 0.3% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut. |
1.2% The estimated percentage of the U.S. population that was American Indian and Alaska Native. |
Sources: //www.census.gov/popest/data/national/asrh/pre-1980/tables/PE-11-1964.pdf (1964) [PDF - <1.0 MB]
Source: //www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.pdf (1960) [PDF - 1.8 MB]
Source: //factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPALL6N?slice=year~est72013 (2013)
Geographic Distribution
| 1960 | 2010 |
| 59.9% The percent of the black population living in the South. |
56.5% The percent of the black population living in the South. The South continues to have the largest concentration of African-Americans. |
| 81.4% The percent of the Asian population living in the West. The West had the largest concentration of Asians. |
45.5% The percent of the single-race Asian population living in the West. The West continues to have the largest concentration of Asians. |
| 54.2% The percent of the American Indian and Alaska Native population living in the West. The West had the largest concentration of the American Indian and Alaska Native population. |
45.6% The percent of the single-race American Indian and Alaska Native population living in the West. |
Sources: //www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.pdf (Tables 1 and 4) [PDF - 1.8 MB]
//www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf (Black, Page 7) [PDF - 9.7 MB]
//www.census.gov/library/publications/2012/dec/c2010br-11.html (Asian, Page 6)
//www.census.gov/library/publications/2012/dec/c2010br-10.html (AIAN, Page 7)
| 1970 | 2010 |
| 41.0% The percent of the Hispanic population living in the West. The West had the largest concentration of Hispanics. |
40.8% The percent of the Hispanic population living in the West. |
Sources:
1970: //www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.pdf (Tables 1 and 4) [PDF - 1.8 MB]
2010: //www.census.gov/library/publications/2011/dec/c2010br-04.html (Page 6)
School Enrollment
| 1964 | 2012 |
| 4.6 million Number of blacks enrolled in elementary school. In addition, 312,000 were enrolled in kindergarten. |
4.9 million Number of blacks enrolled in elementary school. In addition, 646,000 were enrolled in kindergarten. |
| 1.6 million Number of blacks enrolled in high school. |
2.7 million The number of blacks enrolled in high school. That is a 41.7 percent increase from 1964. |
| 306,000 Number of blacks enrolled in college. |
3 million Number of blacks enrolled in college. |
Source: //www.census.gov/hhes/school/data/cps/historical/TableA-1.xls
| 1972 | 2012 |
| 1.9 million Number of Hispanics enrolled in elementary school. In addition,241,000 were enrolled in kindergarten. |
7.8 million Number of Hispanics enrolled in elementary school. In addition, 1.1 million were enrolled in kindergarten. |
| 834,000 Number of Hispanics enrolled in high school. |
3.8 million The number of Hispanics enrolled in high school. |
| 242,000 Number of Hispanics enrolled in college. |
3.4 million Number of Hispanics enrolled in college. |
High School Graduates
| 1964 | 2012 |
| 25.7% Percentage of blacks age 25 and over who completed at least four years of high school. |
85.0% Percentage of blacks age 25 and over who completed at least four years of high school. |
| 2.4 million Number of blacks 25 and over with at least four years of high school. |
20.3 million Number of blacks 25 and over with at least a high school diploma. |
| 1974 | 2012 |
| 36.5% Percentage of Hispanics age 25 and over who completed at least four years of high school. |
65.0% Percentage of Hispanics age 25 and over who completed at least four years of high school. |
Note: The 2012 information in this section refers to the single-race black population.
Source: //www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/1964/tab-01.pdf [PDF - 1.3 MB]
//www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/historical/tabA-2.xls
//www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2012/tables.html, Table 1
Higher Education
| 1964 | 2012 |
| 3.9% Percent of blacks age 25 and over who completed at least four years of college. |
21.2% Percent of blacks age 25 and over who completed at least four years of college. |
| 365,000 Number of blacks age 25 and over who had at least a bachelor's degree. |
5.1 million Number of blacks age 25 and over who had at least a bachelor's degree. |
| 1974 | 2012 |
| 5.5% Percent of Hispanics age 25 and over who completed at least four years of college. |
14.5% Percent of Hispanics age 25 and over who completed at least four years of college. |
Sources: //www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/historical/tabA-2.xls
//www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/1964/tab-01.pdf [PDF - 1.3 MB], page 12
//www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2012/Table1-04.xls
//www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2012/tables.html, Table 1.
Income
| 1964 | 2012 |
| $24,840 (in 2012 dollars) The median family income for blacks. |
$40,517 The median family income for the single-race black population. |
| $27,403 and $17,235 (in 2012 dollars) Median income of black men and black women who worked full time, year-round. |
$39,816 and $35,090 Median income of single-race black men and black women who worked full time, year-round. |
| 1976 | 2012 |
| $37,642 (in 2012 dollars) The median family income for Hispanics. |
$40,764 The median family income for the Hispanic population. |
| $38,240 and $26,158 (in 2012 dollars) Median income of Hispanic men and Hispanic women who worked full time, year-round. |
$32,516 and $29,508 Median income of Hispanic men and Hispanic women who worked full time, year-round. |
Sources: //www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/families/2012/F05_2012.xls
//www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/people/2012/P36B_2012.xls
//www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/people/2012/P36H_2012.xls
Poverty
| 1966 | 2012 |
| 41.8% Poverty rate for blacks. Nationally, the poverty rate for all races was 14.7 percent. |
27.2% Poverty rate for single-race blacks. Nationally, the poverty rate for all races was 15 percent. |
| 1972 | 2012 |
| 22.8% Poverty rate for Hispanics. |
25.6% Poverty rate for Hispanics. |
Source: //www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/historical/hstpov2.xls
Voting
| 1964 | 2012 |
| 58.5% The percent of the total black population 18 years and older who voted in the 1964 presidential election. |
62.0% The percent of the total black population 18 years and older who voted in the 2012 presidential election. |
| 69.3% The percent of the total U.S. population 18 and older that voted in the 1964 presidential election. |
56.5% The percent of the total U.S. population 18 and older that voted in the 2012 presidential election. |
| 1972 | 2012 |
| 37.5% The percent of the total Hispanic population 18 years and older who voted in the 1972 presidential election. |
31.8% The percent of the total Hispanic population 18 years and older who voted in the 2012 presidential election. |
Source: //www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/historical/A1.xls
The following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:
| Black (African American) History Month (February) Super Bowl Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) Women's History Month (March) Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ St. Patrick's Day (March 17) Earth Day (April 22) Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) Older Americans Month (May) Mother's Day Hurricane Season Begins (June 1) Father's Day |
The Fourth of July (July 4) Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26) Back to School (August) Labor Day Grandparents Day Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) Unmarried and Single Americans Week Halloween (Oct. 31) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) Thanksgiving Day The Holiday Season (December) |
Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.
Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
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