A new study uses post-Katrina data to examine the wide and stark disparities in the life expectancy, educational attainment, and incomes of African Americans and whites in Louisiana. The report reveals that Louisiana, which ranks 49th among U.S. states on the American Human Development Index, has a population that experiences health, education, and income levels that the rest of the country surpassed three to five decades ago.
"A Portrait of Louisiana: Louisiana Human Development Report 2009," is the first-ever assessment that examines disparities by parish, race, and gender in Louisiana, and calls for action and policy change to address the acute human vulnerability that persists today. The report also underscores that while the state's pronounced social and economic gaps left African Americans particularly vulnerable during Hurricane Katrina and in its aftermath, those widespread vulnerabilities remain in place today.
As the report's authors point out at the Huffington Post:
As the report explains:
The Louisiana report follows "A Portrait of Mississippi," also produced by the American Human Development Project, a nonprofit established to analyze human development in the United States drawing on an internationally-recognized framework established by the United Nations Human Development Report.
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"A Portrait of Louisiana: Louisiana Human Development Report 2009," is the first-ever assessment that examines disparities by parish, race, and gender in Louisiana, and calls for action and policy change to address the acute human vulnerability that persists today. The report also underscores that while the state's pronounced social and economic gaps left African Americans particularly vulnerable during Hurricane Katrina and in its aftermath, those widespread vulnerabilities remain in place today.
As the report's authors point out at the Huffington Post:
Although improved disaster preparedness makes a replay of the worst aspects of Katrina unlikely, were a similar storm to hit the Gulf coast today, African Americans would again disproportionately lack the resources - from good health to sturdy housing to a financial cushion - to weather the crisis. People whose heads are barely above water in good times have little to draw on in an emergency.Some findings from the report:
- Women in Louisiana live longer than men and have higher educational levels, yet earn an average of $13,000 less.
- The average life span for African Americans in Louisiana today (72.2 years) is shorter than that of many developing nations, including Colombians, Vietnamese and Venezuela.
- The average life span of an African American in New Orleans is 69.3 years, nearly as low as life expectancy in North Korea, while the life expectancy for a white person is 79.6 years.
- Whites in Louisiana earning the least have wages and salaries on par with African Americans earning the most.
- The median earnings for whites range from $25,000 to $37,000. For African Americans, earnings range from $13,000 to $25,000.
- The 6.6 % unemployment rate in Louisiana is well below the national average of 9.4 %.
- African American women have wages and salaries typical of those that prevailed in the U.S. in the 1950s (Louisiana).
- An African-American baby boy born today in Louisiana can expect to live 68.1 years, a life span shorter than that of the average American in 1960 and on par with that of men in Azerbaijan, Egypt and Jamaica today.
- In education, racial disparities in Louisiana are significant. Nearly one in three African American adults age 25 and over in Louisiana has not graduated from high school.
As the report explains:
Evidence from disaster recovery around the world suggests that the rebuilding phase often results in a further concentration of power and resources in the hands of elites. Through this research, we have calculated that federal hurricane recovery dollars directed to Louisiana thus far amount to nearly $15,000 for each and every man, woman, and child in the state. Ensuring that recovery benefits everyone requires that Louisiana state and local officials set concrete targets and provide easily understood reports to the general public on the use of recovery dollars. Equally critical is that the people of Louisiana and Mississippi raise their voices to demand accountability.The report also calls for concerted action in the policy realm, including around health care, a timely call as the national debate hearts up around health care reform. In particular the report notes that efforts must be made to address the health of African American men, who suffer premature deaths, often from preventable causes. It's a call many grassroots advocates are voicing as they call for health care reform. In fact, in Louisiana Wednesday a coalition of organizations rallied outside of Senator Mary Landrieu's office to call on her to support the public option in health care reform.
The Louisiana report follows "A Portrait of Mississippi," also produced by the American Human Development Project, a nonprofit established to analyze human development in the United States drawing on an internationally-recognized framework established by the United Nations Human Development Report.
The “report” has;
130 instances of white
126 instances of african american
13 instances of asian
8 instances of hispanic
Why are there so many instances of african american and white?
Possibly to embellish disparages?
September 24, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply
Quoting from the report itself (page 26):
How "comparatively small"? In 2005, Louisiana's population was 64.7% white and 33.47% black, but just 1.6% Asian and .97% American Indian.
September 24, 2009 6:37 PM | Reply
An excellent response BUT
If the "report" was truly scientific and statistical in form, wouldn't it also include the informational comparisions of minorities such as Native Americans, Asians and Hispanics (which you omitted)?
With these equally important comparisions missing from the "report" one can only conclude the information used was cherry picked and was biased from page one and its only purpose as a "report" was to suggest a victim and a villian as is the southernstudies.com's "article".
Figures don't lie but liars figure.
September 25, 2009 7:13 AM | Reply
Quoting from the source,
"Although improved disaster preparedness makes a replay of the worst aspects of Katrina unlikely, were a similar storm to hit the Gulf coast today, African Americans would again disproportionately lack the resources - from good health to sturdy housing to a financial cushion - to weather the crisis. People whose heads are barely above water in good times have little to draw on in an emergency."
Well, I guess it's time to pull their mouths from the government tete and go aget themselves a job. That way, they can get themselves a good sturdy house (their own, not one from the govt.), insurance that they you pay for with the new job, and some $$$ to draw on, instead of a welfare and a LA Purchase card.
It's so simple people.
September 25, 2009 7:53 AM | Reply
Regarding the numbers relating to cultural identifers, it would seem that this is relative to the numbers of people in these cultural groups: there are in Louisiana significantly larger numbers of white and African Americans, than Asians and others.
September 25, 2009 8:34 AM | Reply
If other minorities such as Native Americans, Asians and Hispanincs are not worthy of more than hardly a mention in this report, then why is it African Americans are having more problems as this report suggests?
Now while the "report" claims that other numbers of minorities are insignificant and not worth reporting, how is it these same "un-reported" minorities are doing well, working hard and making a living for their families?
Not reporting the insignificant minority numbers skews the results of the "report" thereby making it flawed in its assements.
Now the question, why?
September 25, 2009 10:27 AM | Reply
As I thought. The lack of answers and/or responses speak volumes and allows the average person to fill in the blanks as needed.
September 26, 2009 1:15 AM | Reply