•African-Americans comprise state's largest nonwhite group. Growth in Minnesota's African and African-American populations led the trend toward increasing diversity. In 2000, 171,731 Minnesotans identified themselves as Black or African-American, with another 31,241 identified as Black plus another race.
•The growth in Minnesota's African-American population stemmed from several causes. The existing African-American population was relatively young, with a high birth rate compared to deaths. A number of African-Americans came to Minnesota from other states, mirroring an overall trend toward in-migration to the state. Finally, African immigrants came to Minnesota both from their home countries and from other U.S. states. For example, a number of Somalis moved to Minnesota from Africa as well as from Texas and California.
•More than 90% of Minnesota's African-Americans live in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, especially in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, and Brooklyn Center. Almost one-third of the state's African-American population now lives in Twin Cities' suburbs.
•In 1990, fewer than 5,000 Minnesota residents had been born in Africa. A decade later, that figure had increased to more than 34,000.
•By 2002, nearly 9,000 additional immigrants arrived in Minnesota directly from various African nations
•In fact, 13% of Minnesota’s foreign-born residents in the 2000 Census were from Africa—a higher percentage than any other state in the country.
•Most of these individuals have come to the United States as refugees fleeing civil strife in Liberia, Somalia, and the Sudan. Other relatively large African populations recently arrived in the U.S. include Nigerians, Ethiopians, and Eritreans
Sources:
www.minneapolisfoundation.org/immigration/ImmigrationBrochure.pdf
www.mcknight.org/hotissues/overview_censusd.aspx
Minneapolis/St. Paul Afrifest Demographic info:
| 2000 population estimate | 382,618 |
| 2000 Total minority population | 169,788 |
| Median age | 31 |
| Population 18 years and over | 298,449 |
| Population under 18 years | 98,304 |
| 2000 Median household income | $37,974 |
| 2000 Median family income | $48,602 |
ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF SUBSAHARAN AFRICANS IN MINNESOTA
| TOTAL BUYING POWER | 708 MILLION DOLLARS |
| TOTAL RENTAL PAYMENTS | 6 MILLION DOLLARS |
| TOTAL REAL ESTATE TAXES | 4 MILLION DOLLARS |
| POPULATION | 68 096 |
Emerging Market Series Dr Bruce P. Corrie, 651 641 8226, Corrie@csp.edu
Source: Census 2000, Tables from American Community Survey 2005.Buying Power- author estimates.
www.ethnictrends.info