Chapter 3 The Microcultural Context
Pick and respondto one (only one) of the followingtopics/questions: (your post should be a minimum of 125 words). reply to at least two other threads.
1- How do you identify culturally and ethnically? Do you identify with a micro-cultural group or with the dominant culture? Analyze and discuss how, based on your identification, you have experienced or saw how microcultural group members in your community are treated differently than other members who belong to a different microcultural group or dominant culture and vice versa (e.g. how microcultural group members treat non members differently).
2- Some people argue that most members of the microcultural groups discussed in this chapter are not doing enough to assimilate, take in, absorb and become a part of U.S. culture. Do you think that microcultures should do more to assimilate to the dominant U.S. Culture? Or should microcultures hold on to the traditions and customs of their native cultures?
thread one
Question 1
Personally, I identify as Candian/American. My father was born out in British Columbia, and I am in the process of getting my dual citizenship in Canada. This can make my experience unique because while the Canadian culture is similar to the American culture, they also have their differences. So being able to experience both sides is something that I am grateful for. I personally don’t feel like I receive any special or different treatment from any of the micro-cultural groups. I do think that this background makes me fit into the mainstream culture, I also identify with the Roman Catholic background so that is also something that makes me fit into the mainstream culture.
There are so many ways everyday where I see micro-cultures being treated differently than mine. I used to work at a store in the mall, and I had some co-workers who would specifically call out just the African-American people as suspected theifs. Never any other race, so that made me question why they were just singling out them and never anyone else. It’s something that we see so often in our world today, where people choose one specific race to constantly target. Seeing that happen in my job, made me question why they chose to target them when they didn’t even have a valid reason for it.
I think that being apart of the mainstream culture is something that some people can take for granted because they don’t necessarily have to deal with some of the things that people in the micro-cultures have to encounter on a daily basis. So being able to understand my culture and then also being able to understand and respect other people’s cultures is something that is very important to my family and I and it’s something that I’m thankful that I was taught to respect other cultures from a very young age, to hopefully try and break some of the stigmas that other cultures face.
thread 2
Q2
Personally, as a person who is not from the US, I dont think that members of the microcultural group do enough to understand American culture. The thing that I have noticed is that many people who came to the united states, they became used to US culture and some time through the years people forget their culture. For me, I feel that each person should hold on their tradition and culture. I do not say that they should not learn and understand other culture but it is good to behold on your culture and not change to be the same as other. When I came to the US, I realize that they are holding on their culture, and they never want to change it which I think all people should do the same.
! % IStock corn/funky-data THE IvIICROCULTURAL CONTEXT
For those of us who hve m/between, being requwed, on the one hand, to cast off our cu[tura[ se[ves tn order to don the wortdvtew and ethos of an allen culture, on the other hand to cast off the influences of the alien culture as a means of
purlficahon and identification most of all is a more condition than of a personal hvlng in/between chLemma, Lt Is atways and
=Richard NIort Is
Chapter3 m The MIcrocuLtura[ Context
87
Defne and explain the concept ofa miciocultue and the critei,a for membership
Recount the fundamental assumptions of the muted group theory
3. Provide examples of the various mlcrocultures in the United States
Microcultural Context Cultural Context
ithin most cultures are groups of people who differ from the general societal culture in some custom, habit, or practice. These groups are sometimes called minorities, subcultures, or co-cultures. In ths book, the term rmcroculture s used to refer to those
dentifiable groups of people who share the same set of values, beliefs, and behaviors of the microculture; have a common history; and use a common verbal and nonverbal symbol system. In some way, however,, the microculture varies from the largei, often dominant macrocultulal milieu. Most microcultural groups are made up of indwiduals who have much ,n common with the larger macroculture yet are bonded together by sim ilar experiences, traits, values, or, in some cases, histories. Hence, the term rnicroculture includes different types of groups that could be classified by age, class, geographic region, sexual preference, disability (e.g., the deaf), ethmclty, race, size, or even occupation. Most people, regardless of culture, are hkely members of some kind of microcultural group.
Microcultures can be different from the larger culture in a variety of ways, often because of race or ethniclty. In the United States, for example, about 61/o of the popula tion is classified as White or Caucasian.2
In this context, Black Americans, Hlspamc/Latmos, and Asian Americans might be con sldered m,ctocultulal groups. Microcultures can also differ from the larger culture on account
88 Intercutturat Communication
minority groups Subordmate groups whose members have
slgmflcantty
tess power and controt over their own rives than do members of the dominant or majority group
of language or religion. For example, Christians and Jews might be considered microcukural groups. Finally, persons might be classified as members of microcultures because of their behaviolal practices. Persons who use drugs are often said to belong to a counter- or drug culture–not because of their race, ethnicity, or rehgion but because they use drugs. Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) com mumty could be considered a mlcroculture because of their sexual orientation. In any culture, microcultural groups often develop their own language for commu nicating outside the dominant or majority culture’s context or value system. Indeed, deaf persons, who communicate using sign language, can be considered a microculture. Though not always, mlcrocultural groups generally have less power than the majority or macroculture. Even in small power distance cultures such as the United States, power among groups is not distributed equally. 7he majority group’s power may be legal, polit ical, economic, or even religious. In the United States, for example, legal power is not distributed equally. Persons under the age of 18 years are not legally allowed to vote. In many cultures, religious power is not distributed equally. The United States has no officially recognized religion, and ovei 300 religions are recognized and practiced there. Islam is the only recognized religion of Saudi Arabia, and Saudi law requires all its’ citizens to be Muslims. Public worship by a member of any religion other than Islam is forbidden. Moreover, any person wanting to become a citizen of Saudt Arabia must convert to Islam. The group with the most power is consideled the dominant or majority group, while the less powerful groups have been known as minority groups. Sociologist Richard Schaefer argues that the term minority group is a misnomer, however, in that it does not refer to the relative size of a group. According to Schaefer, a minority group is a subordi nate group whose members have significantly less power and control over their own lives than do members of the dominant or majority group? Although defined as a minority, such groups may actually be larger (in population) than the majority group. A classic example is South Africa. From 1948 to 1994, Caucasians, who were greatly outnumbered by Black South Africans, ruled the country under the political system of apartheid. In many countries colonized by Europeans, the indigenous people outnumbered the dom inant Europeans. And in parts of the United States, certain ethnic or cultural groups outnumbei the dominant group. The term subculture is sometimes used to refer to microcultural groups. Like minority group, the term subculture carries negative connotations. By definition, sub- means beneath, below, and inferior. The perspective of this book is that no cultural group is beneath or below any other cultural group. To be sure, some cultures are subordinate to (i.e., have less power than) other groups, but such groups should not be considered infe riol. Hence, the term mleroculturalgvup has been chosen as the most appiopriate label for these groups.
MICROCULTURAL GROUP STATUS
In many cultures, including the United States, mlcrocultural group status is determined by one’s membership in sex, racial, ethnic, or religious groups. Schaefer notes that social scientists generally recognize five characteristics that distinguish microcultuial groups
from the dominant culture. The first characteristic is that members of the group have
some physical or cultural trait that distinguishes them from others. Two obvious physical
properties that distinguish one group from another are skin color and sex. In the United States, for example, Black Americans and women are considered minorities (even though women constitute about 51% of the population). White males are considered the most powerful political and economic group in the United States. Black people are also con sidered a minority in Brazil, which depended on slave trading much more than did the
United States. In fact, Bazil imported 8 times the number of African slaves than were
brought to the United States in the mid-1800s.4
Other traits that can distinguish a microcultural group include language or distinc tive dress habits. A microcultural gloup in Jamaica came out of the Rastafarian religious movement. According to Leonard E. Barrett, the Jamaican Rastafarian movement is the largest, most identifiable indigenous group in Jamaica. Many Rastas are recognizable by their dreadlock hair and unique dress habits. Barrett argues that their appearance is the most distinguishing mark of the Rastafarians.5 Regardless of culture, the dominant group decides, perhaps arbitrarily, which characteristics afford a group its microcultural status. Such traits vary considerably across cultures Ihe second distinguishing characteristic is that microcultural group membership is usually not voluntary. Though not always, people are generally born into their micro culture. For example, people cannot choose to be of a certain race, ethnicity, or sex.
Although people can choose their religion, most people are born into a religion and find
it difficult to leave. In tracing Northern Ireland’s history, Schaefer notes that the root of the violence there is based in religion. Northern Ireland is two-thirds Protestant and
one-third Catholic. The Catholics in Northern Ireland, a minority in both numbers and power, complain of inadequate housing and education, low income, and high unemploy ment. They often blame the Protestant majority for their problems. Armed conflict has been the result. Plttu Laungani notes that a unique feature of India’s society is the caste system–that is, a rigid social hierarchy. In India, one is born into a given caste level, and it is virtually impossible to move from one caste level to another.6
The third property that distinguishes a microcultural group from the macroculture
is that microcultt]ral group members generally practice endogamy (i.e., marrying within the in-group). In many cultures, the dominant group staunchly discourages or even pro hibits exogamy (i.e., marrying outside one’s own group). Ethnologist Suzan Ilcan of the University of Windsor writes that majority groups believe that endogamy strengthens
familial ties, pieserves family property through inheritance, and upholds cultural and
group traditions. Ilcan’s work has focused on marital practices in Turkey, where endog amous marriages are viewed as a family o community affair. According to Ilcan, in the village of Sakli in the northwestern region of Turley, spousal selection and all aspects of
marriage are contiolled by celtain membeis of the family. Couples have little to do with the arrangements. Moreovei, any meaningful romance between unmarried persons is not valued. Love and mutual attraction are expected to come after marriage and, even then, are not consideied necessities. In Sakli, people are consideied suitable marriage partners based on the compatibility of their families. Familial reputation and compara ble economic and social classes are the crucial elements of a marriage.7 Foi some groups in Pakistan, China, India, and Laos, among others, endogamous marilages are often arranged.
90 Intercultural Commumcahon
The fourth chalactenstic that distinguishes a mmrocultmal group from the dominant group is that the gloup membels are aware of their suboldinate status. Because they know they ale less powerful within a particular cultme, some mtcrocultural gloups become very cohesive. In many cultures, microcultural group membeis may prefer to live in the same neighborhoods and socialize among themselves.
Finally, perhaps the most disturbing aspect ofmlcrocultural group membership is that such groups often experience unequal treatment from the dominant group in the form of segreganon and discrimination.8
MIUTED MICROCULTURAL GROUPS
Anothm type of power that most microcultural groups lack is linguistic power–that is, the power of language. In all cultures, language ts the vehicle foi representing and explessmg experience And the experiences and perceptions of suboldinate micro cultural gloups are often different from those of the dominant cultmal group For example, microcultural groups often are not able to communicate as freely as the dom inant gloup does. Historically in the United States, for example, women and Black Americans could not vote or join the armed services. And only since 1994 have Black
South Afiicans been allowed to vote in theii countw; foi decades, they had no legal
voice or representation?
muted group theory
Microculturat groups are forced to express themselves [eg , speak, wHtel within the dominant mode of expresslon
In many cultmes, the subordinate microcultural groups do not contribute to the construction of the language of the dominant gioup. In this sense, the language of a particular culture does not benefit its members equally. Yet the language of the dominant group may not provide the words and symbols representative of the micro cultural group’s perceptions and experiences. Thus, because such groups are forced to communicate within the dominant mode of expression, they become “muted.” In essence, the language of the dominant cultural group, which is the pleferred lan guage, contributes to the microcultural group’s subordination. This idea is known as the muted group theory.1
The manifestation of the muted group theory is that microcultural groups’ speech and writing are not valued by the dominant cultural group. Moreover, mlcrocultural
groups experience difficulty expressing themselves fluently within the dominant mode of expression; that is, they may not speak the same language as the dominant group, so “micro-macro” interaction is difficult. However, because microcultural groups must communicate within the dominant mode, they must achieve some level of linguistic competence to survive. The same is not true of the dominant group, howeveL In fact, the dominant cultural group experiences more difficulty than microcultural groups in undelstanding those groups’ communication because the dominant group is not required to learn the microcultural groups’ codes. Indeed, the dominant group often considers the communication style of a microcultmal gioup substandard or infenoi and rejects it as a legitimate form of communication.
Shirley Weber contends that microcultural groups may respond to the dominant mode of expression In two ways. Some will refuse to live by the standards set forth by the dominant group and will try to change the dominant mode of expression. In the
United States, for example, the replacement of words such as chawman with simply chair or mailman with mall carrier is demonstrative of this phenomenon. Another way subol dinate groups respond is by using theii own plivate language. They create symbols not understood or used by the dominant group They use their own language to express their unique expelmnces. Weber argues that sometimes the language of subordinate groups serves as a political statement that the mlciocultural groups have not relinquished or abandoned their political or social identity. The groups’ ability to sustain a living lan guage indicates that the members have control over a certain aspect of their lives and are determined to preserve their culture. As Webei notes, one’s language is a model of that culture’s adjustment to the world,n
MICROCULTURES IN THE UNITED STATES
Many microcultures exist in the United States. The formation of mlcrocultural groups is often the result of immigration, annexation, oi colonization.I2 In this chapter, six U.S. microcultures are explored, with particular attention paid to the communication of each and how it differs from the dominant macioculture.
The first micmcultural group to be examined is the Hispanic/Latino group.
Hispamcs/Latinos represent the largest miclocultural group in the United States. The second group consists of Black Americans. This group iepresents perhaps the most
powerful mlcrocultural group in the United States And although Black Americans
have made strides in social, legal, economic, and political power in the United States
in the past centmy, they lemain socially disenfranchised by many in the dominant
culture. The third microcultural group to be discussed is Asian Ameilcans. Asian Americans now leplesent the fastest growing microculture in the United States. The
fourth group to be explored is Native Americans/American Indians. Of the 562 tribes
in the United States, Native Amencans/Amerman Indians represent less than 2% of
the overall population. The fifth gioup is Arab Americans. In 2000, for the first time in its history, the U S. Census Bureau officially classified persons in the United States who had Arab arcestry. Neaily 3.6 million U.S. citizens trace their roots to an Arab country. The sixth and final microculture to be discussed is the LGBTQ community.
A debate continues over the rights of LGBTQ persons and whether they have a unique
communication system.
Hispanics/Latinos
Hispanics/Latmos are the laigest microcultural group in the United States. The Hispanic/ Latmo population in the Umted States was nearly 58 million pdople in 2016, about 18% of the U.S. population. Mole than one in six Americans claims Hispanic origin. By 2030, that number is expected to reach 72 million.13 According to Antonio Flores of the Pew Research Center, Hispamcs are the youngest miclocultmal group in the United States with a median age of 28 years. Floles leports that neatly 40% of Hispanics/Latmos have some college experience, up from 30% in 2000. While the majonty of Hispamcs/Latinos speak Spanish, 35 million Hispanics ages 5 and older are English ploficmnt. California
Hlspam/
Latmo Defined
by the U S
government as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto RIcan, South or Central American, or other Spamsh culture or origin, regardless of race
91
92 Intercul.tural. Commumcahon
has the largest percentage of Hlspanics/Latmos, followed by Texas, Florida, New York, and Ilhnois.14
Recall from Chapter 1 that the U.S. government distinguishes between race and Hispamc/Latmo origin, consrdermg the two to be separate and distinct. Hence, Hlspamcs/ Latinos are not considered a racial group. Specifically, the government defines Hispanic or Latmo as “a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puelto Rrcan, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.” Flores notes that 64% of the Hlspamc/
Latino population in the United States is of Mexican origin But that number is down from a peak of 66% in 2000.15 o
The Hispanic/Latino microculture plays a sigmficant role m the U.S. economy. Matt
Weeks reports that the U.S. Hispanic/Latmo buying power in 2016 was larger than the
gross domestic product of the entire country of Mexico and larger than the economies of 14 other countries in the world. In the United States, Hrspamc/Latino buying power reached $1.4 trillion in 2016, which is nearly 10% of total U.S. buying power. Weeks reports that Hlspanics/Latmos spend more on groceries, clothing, cell phone servrces, and car insurance than they spend on tobacco, health care, entertainment, furmture, and personal insurance.16
So Who Is Hispanic/Latino9
Given the previous drscussion, the term Hispanw is confusing to many. Ned Crouch argues that the label is a cultural reference, a way of identifying people that ,s nei ther racial nor geographic. According to Crouch, persons who consider themselves
Hispanic/Latmo may be Black, as in the Dominican Republic; White, as in Argentina;
or of mixed racral heritage, as in Mexico. Crouch argues that Hispanic is a cultural
reference to people from any Spanish-speaking country except Spain (where people insist that they are Spanish, not Hispanic). In additron, Crouch argues that the term Latino ,s a cultural reference more or less interchangeable with Hispamc, although some may disagree.17
Cul.turat Vatues and Communication of Hispanics/Latinos
Although diverse, the Hispanic/Latino mlcroculture is united by values, language, and religion. Consultants Anne Marie Pajewski and Lurs Enrrquez argue that m Hispanic/ Latino socrety the family or group needs take precedence over indivrdual needs and that
Hispanics/Latinos seem collectivistic across a variety of contexts, including academics.
According to Pajewski and Enriquez, in school settings Hrspanic/Latino students tend to be cooperative, whereas White students tend to be competitrve and mdividuahstic. When Hispanic/Latino students work in groups, not everyone is expected to do an equal share; a group member who does not work is not sanctroned. In a White group, however, each student is expected to do his or her share)8
Pelhaps nowhere is the Hrspanic/Latmo group orientation more prevalent than in the faintly, orfami[ia 19 Commitment to the family is a dominant cultural value among
virtually all Hlspamcs/Latmos. Indeed, Crouch argues that
the group bonding process begins the minute Mexican children are brought home
from the hospital and put into the children’s room–not their own, separate little
pink or blue nursery. Their families tend to congregate in one large room. They
are taught to play nicely with each other. Toys are toys and are played with by
all the children. They are not owned by boy number one or girl number three. In Anglo culture, the more we msbehave with our siblings, the more attention we get … But beyond the conflicting pressures of adolescence, we seem to emerge as individualists …. unhke the Mexicans, who beheve that the more they conform, the more they will all prosper.2
Hispamcs/Latinos are thought to be a very religious mlcroculture, but that appears to be changing. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey of over 5,000 U.S.
Hispamcs/Latinos, just over 55% belong to the Roman Cathohc Church, but the survey also reports that the number of Hispamcs/Latinos leaving the Catholic Church is rising signrficanfl In fact, about 25% of Hispanrc/Latmo adults now consider themselves fbr mer Catholics. About 22% are Protestant, while just under 20% are religiously unaffil
iated. 7he Pew Research Center suggests that the percentage of Hlspanlcs/Latinos who are Catholic has been in dedine for at least the last few decades. For example, in 2010, polling by the Pew Research Center found that over two thirds of Hispanics/Latinos were
Cathohc. Th,s indicates that the number of Catholic Hlspamcs/Latinos has dechned con siderably over the past few years. Moreover, according to the Pew Research Center, the Hispanics/Latmos who have left the Catholic Church tend to move in two directions. Many have become born-again or evangelical Protestants, a group that has a very hrgh level ofreligrous commitment. The other Hispanics/Latlnos have become religiously unaf filiated. In fact, many indicate that they have no particular religion or are atheist or agnos tic. Interestingly, these survey results indicate that unaffiliated Hispanics/Latmos resemble
the religiously unaffiliated segment of the general U.S. pubhc.2
In their communication modes, Hispanics/Latinos are also group oriented. They are exceptionally concerned about any behavior that would upset the harmony of their house hold, church, or workplace. Hrspanics/Latinos value harmony above all else. A mother or father expressing favoritism to an indwidual son or daughter will upset the harmony and shatter the familial spirit. 22 Hispamcs/Latinos generally practice large power drstance communication.’Spanlsh rs replete with words and phrases that communicate hierarchy (e.g., proper titles, salutations, and honorifics) and emphasize the Idea that some peo ple hold superior positions over others. Crouch asserts that Hispanics/Latmos hold to traditional hierarchical roles based on family, education, age, and position. According to Crouch, Hispanics/Latinos may be confused by U.S. citizens’ casual and informal communication style.23
Stereotypes of Hispanics/Latinos
In most cultures, microcultural groups are often stereotyped {)y the dom,nant cultural group. In the United States, the Hispamc/Latino microculture has been the target of several unfortunate stereotypes. Perhaps the most common, and the most hotly debated, stereotype about Hispanics/Latinos revolves around the construct of male gender identity called machzsmo. Machismo centers on the notron of masculinity, male superiority, and dominance in the traditional patriarchal Hispamc/Latlno society. Stereotypical charac teristics associated wth macho males include aggressrveness, violence, dominance and supremacy over women, infidelity, and emotional insensmvitv. Researchers at Fnrdh m
Umversity aigue that thele is no consensus on the definition of the telm. Some definitions focus on negative and exaggerated forms of the male gender role such as heavy dunking, aggressiveness, ol virility. But other definitions offel culturally valued tiaits suggesting that machismo emphasizes courage; physical strength; and the provider, authority fig ure, and protector roles. Ihese researchers also note a tendency to focus on the negative characteristics.24
To be sure, scholars disagree about the uniqueness of machismo m Hispanic/Latino culture. Counshng psychologist J. Manuel Casas and his associates argue that machismo has never been a umquely Htspmic/Latino phenomenon. Instead, they argue that many of the traits associated with machismo can be found in vu tually eveiy culture. They note, however, that differences may exist in how the eqmvalent of the machismo constluct is defined across cultures.25
In other words, many cultures may associate male gender identity with aggressive ness, male supremacy, infidelity, and so on. Although there has not been a substantial amount of research conducted on the machismo identity, some data indicate that at least one characteristic associated with machismo–infidelity–Is not unique to Hlspamc/ Latino males University of Chicago sociologists Michael, Gagnon, Laumann, and
Kolata–authors of the widely publicized Sex tn America study–found that the infidelity
rate among Hlspamcs/Latinos in the Umted States is about the same as for the genelal U.S. population. In fact, in the Pew Research Center storey mentioned pleviously, the malonty of Hispanics/Latmos lqect traditional views of gender roles. The overwhelming
majouty of Hispanics/Latlnos indicate that a malrlage in which both the husband and wife hold jobs and care for the children is plefelable to a traditional anangement that sees the husband as the financial provider and the wife as caretakel of the house and children.
Moreovel, over 60% of Hispamcs/Latinos reject the idea that the husband should have the final say in family matters On the othei hand, just ovel one third indicate the hus
bands shouldhave the final say.26
U.S. me&a, especially advertisels, have been particularly culpable in the dissemina tion of Hispanic/Latino steleotypes. Octavio Nuiry points out that one of the ealliest images of Hispanics/Latmos, and particulally Mexicans, is that of the ruthless ban&to. This image has been depicted in all sorts of media, fiom movie Westerns to a famous advertising campaign for Fritos corn chips. In 1967, Flito-Lay Corporation launched this advertising campaign for Its brand of corn chips. The ads featmed a cartoon char acter called the Frlto Ban&to, whose persona was replete with a thick Spanish accent, a long handlebar mustache, a sombrelo, and a pan of six-shooters. In the ads, the bandito was descubed as “cunning, clevei, and sly.” Contempolary ads for Taco Bell encourage taco lovels to “Run for the Boidei!” in an apparent refelence to the lmmiglation issue. Interestingly, in what advertiseis call a crossover commelcial, a Miller Lite beei adver tisement features boxing champion Carlos Palomino encouraging viewers to “Drink Miller Llte, but don’t dnnk the water.”27 +lhe influences of the Hlspanic/Latino micro culture in the United States are growing Now more than ever, Hlspanics/Latinos are noticed by the dominant culture. We see Hlspamc/Latmo characteis in television and movies Hispanic/tattoo cuisine is popular across the country. Although their unem ployment rates ate high and their incomes are low, as a microcultural group Hlspamcs/ Latinos are mcieasing then political and economic power Soon, their voices wdl not be muted
Btack Americans
According to Schaefer, the history of Black
Americans m the United States dates as far back as the histoiy of Euro-Americans (persons of European descent). Black’peo
ple arrived in the New World with the fiist
White explorers. Schaefer reports that in
1619, 20 Africans arrived in Jamestown
as indentured servants. At that time, theii
children were boln free people By the
1660s, however, the British colonies passed
laws making Africans slaves for life.28
According to Schaefer, the propoltlon of
Black people in the United States has varied
over the centuries and actually declined until the 1940s, primarily because White immi gration (mostly flora Emope) far outdistanced Blacks’ population growth. In 1790, Black people represented a little more than 19% of the population of the United States. That percentage declined to 9.7% in 1910.29
In 2017, the Black population was 47.4 million, or approximately 14.6% of the U.S.
population According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 60% of all Black Americans live in just 10 states–New Yolk, Flouda, Texas, Geoigia, Cahfornla, North Caiolina, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio. Black Americans are the second-lalgest micro cultural group in the United States. Curlently, Black Americans and Hlspanics/Latmos compose nearly 32% of the U.S. population. Unlike the lapid and dispropomonate growth of the Hispanic/Latmo population since 1990, the late of Black Ameiman popu
lation growth remains relatively stable,g0
Black Americans made great progress in the 20th and 21st centunes, due mostly to the civil rights movement. Although significant gaps lemain between Black Americans and Caucasians in such areas as income, education, employment, and housing, Black Americans have ,come a long way in the past 70 years. In 2018, the median house hold income among Black Americans was $40,202. Fol all races it was $60,336. Black
American buying power increased 98% from 2000 to 2016. Moreover, Black Americans increasingly own theil own businesses, which glew 34% in the 5-year span from 2007 to 2012. Schaefer notes an Jnterestingphenomenon: An ever-growing propoltion of the Black population is foleign-born. Since 1984, the percentage of Black people in the United States born outside the countly (mostly in the Caribbean) has almost doubled.31
Black American Communicatmn
The term Ebonics (fro
