STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Oakland’s Black Population Drops

Oakland, Calif., a city with deep historical ties to the African-American community, has lost almost 25 percent of its Black population in the last 10 years, according to numbers from the Census Bureau.

Oakland, California, a city with deep historical ties to the African-American community, has lost almost 25 percent of its Black population in the last 10 years, according to numbers from the Census Bureau.

The city that produced the Black Panthers, congressional leaders such as Rep. Barbara Lee and Ron Dellums, and NBA legend Bill Russell, now has almost as many whites (25.9 percent) as it does Blacks (27.3 percent). Thirty years ago, the city’s Black population stood at 46 percent.

With 106,637 African Americans, the city still trails only Los Angeles for the state’s largest Black population. But these numbers magnify a trend in the state, where most cities have seen a drop.

Blacks across the state have been moving to suburbs for their lower cost of living and lower crime.

"African-Americans are no different than anyone else: They want to live in safe neighborhoods," Oakland Councilman Larry Reid told the San Francisco Chronicle.

 

Photo:  Slobo Mitic / iStockphoto

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.