Whites in U.S. Edge Toward Minority Status

(AP)  Minorities make up nearly half the children born in the U.S., part of a historic trend in which minorities are expected to become the U.S. majority over the next 40 years.

In fact, demographers say this year could be the "tipping point" when the number of babies born to minorities outnumbers that of babies born to whites.

The numbers are growing because immigration to the U.S. has boosted the number of Hispanic women in their prime childbearing years. Minorities made up 48 percent of U.S. children born in 2008, the latest census estimates available, compared to 37 percent in 1990.

"Census projections suggest America may become a minority-majority country by the middle of the century. For America's children, the future is now," said Kenneth Johnson, a sociology professor at the University of New Hampshire who researched many of the racial trends in a paper being released Wednesday.

Johnson explained there are now more Hispanic women of prime childbearing age who tend to have more children than women of other races. More white women are waiting until they are older to have children, but it is not yet known whether that will have a noticeable effect on the current trend of increasing minority newborns.

The numbers highlight the nation's growing racial and age divide, seen in pockets of communities across the U.S., which could heighten tensions in current policy debates from immigration reform and education to health care and Social Security.

There are also strong implications for the 2010 population count, which begins in earnest next week, when more than 120 million U.S. households receive their census forms in the mail. The Census Bureau is running public service announcements this week to improve its tally of young children, particularly minorities, who are most often missed in the once-a-decade head count. The campaign features Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer, the English- and Spanish-speaking Nickelodeon cartoon character who helps "mommy fill out our census form."

The population figures are used to distribute federal aid and redraw legislative boundaries with racial and ethnic balance, as required by federal law.

"The adults among themselves sometimes forget the census is about everyone, and kids should be counted," said Census Bureau director Robert Groves. "If we fail to count a newborn that is born this month, that newborn misses all the benefits of the census for 10 years."

Whites currently make up two-thirds of the total U.S. population, and recent census estimates suggest the number of minorities may not overtake the number of whites until 2050.

Right now, roughly 1 in 10 of the nation's 3,142 counties already have minority populations greater than 50 percent. But 1 in 4 communities have more minority children than white children or are nearing that point, according to the study, which Johnson co-published.

That is because Hispanic women on average have three children, while other women on average have two. The numbers are 2.99 children for Hispanics, 1.87 for whites, 2.13 for blacks and 2.04 for Asians in the U.S. And the number of white women of prime childbearing age is on the decline, dropping 19 percent from 1990.

For example:

• In Gwinnett County, Ga., an Atlanta suburb, the population has shifted from 16 percent minority in 1990 to 58 percent minority in 2008. The number of blacks and Hispanics nearly doubled, while the number of white young people stayed roughly the same.

• The population of Dakota County, Neb., increased from 15 percent minority in 1990 to 54 percent in 2008, due largely to an influx of Hispanics who came looking for work in meatpacking and other labor.

• In Lake County, Ind., a suburb of Chicago, the minority population grew from 43 percent in 1990 to 53 percent in 2008 as the number of white children declined, the number of blacks stayed stable and the number of Hispanics increased.

The 2008 census estimates used local records of births and deaths, tax records of people moving within the U.S., and census statistics on immigrants. The figures for "white" refer to those whites who are not of Hispanic ethnicity.

[anniefromflyovercountry]

Wow. Comments s/a from Lord Radiant say it all. He basically states that genocide of whites is payback for their "past." That much of this "past" had another story, and most (that people s/a this are reacting to) is really just Hollywood movies, that were made specifically to push those buttons), is immaterial to him. Read his post and see how this "demographic shift" really came about---- how many people wanted it, (based on Hollywood movies, and an incredibly biased view of history, much of which is unsupportable, or/and with many other sides to it).

Anyway, people who hated, and policies that were very clearly meant to effect this, were put into place. Very honestly, how is that different from genocide? ---Like this guy, Lord Raidant says?

[anniefromflyovercountry]

The amazing thing is what was done to young white kids in the 60s to make them feel inept, as if they would not be good parents, or as if they would be ruining the earth if they had families, (Zero population growth programs), and so on. Not only did policies disincentivize their dreams of families, but encouraged the ones that were "wanted." Are they "wanted" as voters? Because they would vote in the Welfare State we have now, and thereby overthrow a free form of government? Who knows--- but one wonders at what will happen to the half century of kids full of memories of being degraded in school for colonialism, "privilege," (even when they were poor), slavery, and on and on---told they were disgusting things on the planet and the world would be better off without them.

Shouldn't there be some redress for the psychological damage of so many people? The drug additions that resulted? The suicides?

This sort of "demographic shift" is not accomplished without destroying the "non-diverse" people and families that could have been. The policies, meetings that effected them and so on--- will probably surface someday. History has a way of tellign the truth.

[LordRadiant]

Face it White people...you're paying for the wrongs your forefathers did to everyone else...just a matter of time...LOL!!

[LordRadiant]

I, personally, cannot wait until 2050...I hope the day comes sooner when Whites are the minority. All their history and all of their privilege is on its way out the window. Their lies of "working hard and pulling up their bootstraps" is a crock of ****. Everyone knows they got to their status by standing on the backs of minorities in this country. Now they wanna whine about the game no longer being rigged, people bringing REAL culture to this country and they having to do nothing but either adapt or **** and ****. Guess what Whites? Brown, Black, Red and Yellow people have had to learn your language, history, culture, religions, and deal with your a$$es for close to four century. I say, now its time you swallow your pride and realize you are now in this with us. You had better realize we are Americans too and you are not the default race/culture or you will find your a$$es at the back of the bus, too...and guess what else? No one is gonna give you any handouts, either. Its your own fault for all the **** you've put everyone through. Sure, you opened the doors for opportunities, but only after you were done enslaving, pillaging, raping, and exploiting the rest of the peoples' forefathers in this country.

2050 or bust!

[jayman526]

The idea of whites becoming the new minority is not new. It has been trending this way in the USA for a while now and it will continue that way in my opinion going forward. With such high levels of diversity in our country and the continuing acceptance of interracial marriages along with continuing immigration, it is only a matter of time until all races are condensed into one race, the American race.

It might be a hundred years before that completely happens but just think how much the percentages change decade after decade. 50 years ago everything was segregated and these days not only is it legal, but accepted for people of different races to marry each other, have families, and share in each others worlds.

Personally I find that concept fascinating. As for being a white person in this country in the mean time, it could be quite an adventure. Going from the vast majority all this time to a minority could have both negative and positive consequences. Either way, it is happening, and whether people like it or not, get ready...

[tamikalb13]

There are a few reasons why whites are destined to become the minority. It basically comes down to the fact that the U.S. is becoming more racially diverse, an extreme lack of education and the disappearance of ?the traditional? family.

This first reason is two-part. This first part has to do with the fact that interracial relationships and marriages are on the rise. It has become more prevalent for a white woman to have children with men of different racial backgrounds. I feel that we are destined to become a mixture of races because this will ultimately help diminish racism and discrimination. This brings me to the second part, the U.S. is a melting pot and eventually we will be one country with open borders. I feel that instead of embracing immigration we are wasting our time and efforts by keeping a lid on an issue that is out of our control. Becoming one country means that people from different backgrounds bring different beliefs and ways of living. For example, the statistics point directly to the Hispanic race, but I think that we fail to realize that having big families has always been their tradition. They would probably have the same amount of children if they were rich or poor. Does anyone acknowledge how hard they work? They clean toilets, raise rich peoples kids, mow lawns...hold down multiple jobs that nobody wants. Isn?t this what American is supposed to be about?

Education plays a major role in the third reason. We lack a certain amount of education in this country overall. Lack of education is directly related to teen pregnancy and marriage out of wedlock. We do not place enough importance on educating the poor. Education not only affects the ability for one to excel financially, but it also helps us expand our minds and make better decisions.

The final reason would have to with the fact that woman in general are starting to let their careers take precedence over starting a family. The cost of raising a child coupled with the disappearance of ?traditional? women roles contribute to this. More and more women want to pursue an education and be successful. They want to become CEO?s and have power. We see more and more stay at home dads, while the hunter/gather roles are switching.

[ylondia1]

I totally agree with this article that the whites in United State are edging toward the minority. I feel that this is caused by professional white women putting their careers first and waiting until they are in their late 30's to mid 40's to bear children. Some white women just decide not to have children at all, when Hispanic women will already have had two to three children by the age of 25. Black women are consisted with their childbearing status. Hispanics will become the majority if the current immigration law today is not enforced. This will allowed hispanics in their prime childbearing year according to our census to become U.S. citizens and be counted.

[cplummer86]

I do agree wit the article in that there rae differences in which different women from differetn races bear children. I found it interesting that Hispanic women are responsible for the higher percentage of Hipanic births in the US. I agree that the Hispanic immigrants in the US are over populating the country since most immigrate during their child bearing years. I also agree witht eh view that African Americans produce a lot of children too in this country. I find it hard to beleive that these women remain constant in the number of children that they bear since they are increasing in population. I found it interesting that most white Americans only have two children. I know the generation I'm in will probably follow that lead since most if us do not place great importance on marriage and the typical nuclear family. I also beleive that the surge in interracial relationships accounts for the growing disparities in ehtnic make up for the country. I beleive that society's increasing acceptance of interrracial realtionships and the number of children typical African Americans tend to have outwiegh the American number and this has tended to increase the shift of the minority race in America.

[cplummer86]

As I do agree with the blog previously posted on the perpetuation on upper class families only raising select few children, and being able to offer them higher edcuation, and then their kids turn around and follow suite is only half the truth. Whites becoming minorities goes far beyond that. My current generation barely beleives in marriage and a good majority sees kids as a risky investment. It stems deeper than that though, we currently have a hispanic population that quite frankly, come here illegally, take American jobs and destroy neighborhoods. While this is not true for all, the majority still holds truth. I def support an immigration law that will hopefully remove these illegal aliens and provide America's struggling economy with more jobs that Americans deserve. As sketchy as this sounds, the current public welfare system is to blame for this too. Moving beyond hispanics, majority of African Americans on that system are truely eating away at tax payer dollars. They are over populating our negihborhoods, destryoing them in the mean time, over utilizing our public services for personal gain. Maybe one day America will wake up and terminate these issues.

[edub55]

Not only are you being completely politically incorrect, but what basis do you have for your comments? You state that your "current generation barely believes in marriage and a good majority sees kids as a risky investment"--according to what study? I do see the pattern in which you are referring, that it would appear that the current minority groups are producing at a faster rate than the majority; however, this statistic has been out for years. The country has known that the fastest growing population is Hispanic--whether they are legal or not has nothing to do with it. What is the issue with the current minority becoming the majority when we have a mixed-race president? Where is the controversy here?

[dinnyc]

Without question, in NYC the white race is a minority. I am surrounded by Asian and Spanish people and way too many of them refuse to adapt to American culture AT ALL. They do not want to learn or speak English and have taken over all the businesses and housing properties in the area. I feel like the alien in my own country. It's despicable that this country has allowed these people to come in and monopolize this city and country. In the early 1900's when my grandparents came here from Europe, they not only were happy to be here and raise their families, but they tried to adapt to American culture as well as bring their culture to American society. The ethnicities that have come in over the past 10-20 years don't all want to do that. I feel that if any race comes to this country to live they a) should be here legally; b) should learn the English language or c) get the hell out.