The non-profit Center for Social Inclusion released a new report "Tough Times in Mississippi: Housing and Poverty," last week showing that the Magnolia state is one of the hardest hit in the current recession. Not surprisingly, the African American community has been disproportionately affected, and is at the greatest risk of being left out of an economic recovery.

Among other findings, the report details rising poverty, discriminatory mortgage lending, widespread unemployment and decreasing access to health care, according to the organization's Web site. Overall, the report ranks Mississippi as the 14th hardest hit state.

Among the findings:

• From '07 to '08, homeownership rates dropped further for Black Mississippians (2.8%) than for Whites (0.5%).

• Unemployment among Black Mississippians has skyrocketed to an estimated 16.2%.

• Almost half of Black children (47.6%) live in poverty.

• More than one in four Black Mississippians do not have health insurance.

In an e-mail to The Clarion Ledger, Mississippi Department of Employment Security Executive Director Les Range questioned some of the report's findings, saying that white Mississippians had lost their jobs at a higher rate that blacks. Unemployment claims for white have risen more than 200 percent, while those for blacks increased by less than 145 percent, Range said.

Previous Comments

ID

154502

Comment

Gee whiz. I know we're gonna make it though. We may not have a cent to pay the rent, but I know we're gonna make it. We always have. This is nothing compared to the roads we once traveled. I wonder what accounts for the great difference in numbers or opinions between Les Range and the Center for Social Inclusion? So sad for either group assuming both persons are mostly correct. Hopefully, things will get better soon for everyone.

Author

Walt

Date

2009-12-28T18:47:01-06:00