The social and economic problems associated with an aging population remain a major concern of German policy-makers. But in the past decade, economic and political factors have helped derail the progress of many American blacks. Large gaps remain between white and black Americans on most indicators of social and economic progress. In some areas, the gaps are widening. Average life expectancy for blacks has fallen slightly since 1985, while it has increased for whites.
White men can expect to live over seven years longer than black men.
Median income for black families in 1989 was lightly below its 1969 level, after adjusting for inflation. And, while the number of affluent blacks blossomed in the 1980s, the net worth of blacks averaged only one-tenth that of white in 1989. As African Americans enter the 1990s, high rates of births to unmarried mothers, family instability, poor educational performance, and other factors continue to hinder progress for many African Americans, while others earn advanced degrees and high salaries. This article reviews the significant progress made by African Americans in recent decades, but focuses on recent trends and the growing diversity within America's largest minority population.