Monday Open Line


February is Black History Month, a time to honor the many contributions to our nation’s history made by people of African descent. Started as a special week in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson, the observance is now a full month of activities across the country. African-Americans, in counting single race or in combination with others, number over 43 million in the U.S. By 2060, this figure is projected to reach 74.5 million — nearly 18 percent of the country’s entire population. Although New York has the largest number of blacks of any state or equivalent at 3.7 million, Washington, D.C., has the highest percentage at over 51 percent. Cook County, Illinois, effectively Chicago, had the largest black population of any county in 2012, numbering 1.3 million. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.