• In the Shadows of Poverty

• Strengthening the Rural Poverty Research Capacity of the South

• July 23, 2004

• Veronica L. Womack• Georgia College and State University

The American Black Belt Region: A Forgotten Place

According to Falk and Rankin (1992),

“The Black Belt does constitute a region in which contiguous counties have similar histories, socioeconomic organization (dependent upon agriculture), and political realities (where,

in many instances, black could not vote as recently as 20 years ago), and unusually large black populations. There is no other place in the United States that includes such a large

geographic territory, with so many people of one race, with so

much common history”. (300-302)

Blakely and Bradshaw (2002) Goals of economic development strategies are to provide:

1) basic quality jobs for the current population,2) achieve local economic stability, and

3) build a diverse economic and employment base.

Three possible reasons for the lack of federal funding:

1. These areas may be dependent on low-skilled labor and private

industry may combat local governmental officials to keep them from pursuing human capacity building funds to keep a surplus of

unskilled labor.

2. Rural Black Belt communities may have less local government officials with the experience needed to apply for and receive grants.

3. Some state and local development officials may use the metropolitan areas as “growth centers”. (25)

Devey-Tomaskovic and Roscigno (1996) believe the South’s destructive economic development strategies include:

The encouragement of racially split labor markets, low wage job growth, the active and sometimes violent discouragement of unionization by the state as well as by employers, and very low levels (by standards of advanced industrial societies) of protective legislation for workers, transfer payments to the poor, and controls over business activity (569).

The Black Belt Survey (2003) found that Black Belt residents believe that the Black Belt is a

decent place to live, “but has major problems: lack of jobs, a poor economy, bad roads, and an inadequate education”. The citizens also focus on the lack of local leadership stating,

“that a lack of leadership, the inability to work together, politics and insufficient

resources” are all reasons for the Alabama

Black Belt’s problems.

Table 1Alabama Black Belt Population

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Counties Population Population Change(1990-2000) African American Population

Barbour 29038 14.2 46.3Bullock 11714 6.1 73.1Butler 21399 -2.3 40.8Choctaw 15922 -.6 44.1Clarke 27867 2.3 43.0

Conecuh 14089 .2 43.6Dallas 46365 -3.7 63.3Escambia 38440 6.2 30.8Greene 9974 -1.8 80.3Hale 17185 10.9 59.0Lowndes 13473 6.4 73.4

Macon 24105 -3.3 84.6Marengo 22539 -2.4 51.7Monroe 24324 1.5 40.1Perry 11861 -7.0 68.4Pickens 20949 1.2 43.0Sumter 14798 -8.5 73.2Washington 18097 8.4 26.9Wilcox 13183 -2.8 71.9

Alabama 4447100 10.1 26.0________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: United States Census 2000 State facts *Average 56% African American population

Healthcare Statistics of Alabama Black Belt

Counties Infant Death Rate Number of Physicians Number of Hospital Beds

Barbour 5.9 18 74Bullock na 9 30Butler 3.4 17 89Choctaw na 7 na

Clarke 6.1 17 103Conecuh 31.3 7 naDallas 8.3 96 304Escambia 16.3 31 118Greene 6.1 6 72Hale 3.7 5 30

Lowndes 22.4 4 naMacon 10.8 23 naMarengo 2.9 15 99Monroe 7.8 18 59Perry 22 4 76

Pickens na 13 50Sumter na 6 naWashington 8.5 7 103Wilcox na 3 322

Alabama 9.5 8733 16998

United States 2.2 693345 838988

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Sources: US Census 2000 State Facts **306 Physicians and 1529 hospital beds in the region9.5 Average of State and 7.2 average of US and 11.0 average for this region

Quality of Life in the Black Belt

Counties Population (%) Children in Poverty(%) Violent crimes committed in poverty Barbour 23.8 32.0 6Bullock 29.2 34.2 132Butler 23.4 30.8 4Choctaw 22.3 29.6 4Clarke 21.8 29.9 25

Conecuh 27.4 39.2 19Dallas 29.7 39.2 504Escambia 20.8 27.8 215Greene 35.5 44.6 64Hale 26.6 34.1 58

Lowndes 31.5 39.4 59Macon 31.9 40.4 108Marengo 23.9 32.6 62Monroe 21.6 30.5 202Perry 36.6 45.2 5

Pickens 23.5 32.9 29Sumter 33.1 40.1 24

Washington 19.0 25.4 21Wilcox 36.1 44.0 12

Alabama 16.2 23.8 20432United States 13.3 19.9 1328303

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Source: US Census Report 2000 State Facts **Black Belt Average population in poverty 27.3 **Children in Poverty in Alabama Black Belt 33.7, *** violent crimes committed=1602

Economic Conditions of the Black Belt

Counties per capita % nat. ave. Median home Deposits* sales shop

Barbour 19360 71.2 68600 304.4 42Bullock 15833 58.2 56600 114.3 12Butler 16776 61.7 57700 211.1 31Choctaw 17780 65.4 60500 176.5 15

Clarke 18309 67.3 67900 360.5 41Conecuh 18104 66.6 58600 106.7 17Dallas

17675 65 64100 381.9 63Escambia 17654 64.9 66700 413.2 56

Greene 14874 54.7 57000 40.9 5Hale 15711 57.8 66300 148.5 12Lowndes 14741 54.2 55500 79.4 4Macon 15235 56 64200 105 21Marengo 18959 69.7 65900 321.8 34

Monroe 18094 66.5 66900 253.6 34Perry 14190 52.2 47600 105 11Pickens 17226 63.3 66000 225.3 14Sumter 15071 55.4 54000 108.6 21Washington 17912 65.8 63000 114.5 13Wilcox 13728 50.5 52200 115.5 17

Alabama 22054 81.1 85100 52 700.3 United States 27203 119,600

_______________________________________________________________________________________________Sources: US Census Report 2000 * millions **Average per Capita income of Region: $15814, *** Median worth of Homes $61015, **** sum of Black Belt deposits 3686.7 , Number of shops in Black Belt= 463

Table 6

Federal Funds in the Alabama Black Belt________________________________________________________________________________________

Counties Federal Funds Total (per Capita) Direct Payments (ind.) Grants

Barbour 130.2 4873 3316 1195Bullock 61.1 5383 3248 1842Butler 121.7 5656 3581 1852Choctaw 78.9 5087 3293 1385

Clarke 144.7 5033 3138 1623Conecuh 76.6 5590 3892 1367Dallas 314.8 6745 3919 1524Escambia 175.1 4776 3332 1002Greene 68.6 7029 3396 3232Hale 86.6 5133 3486 1317

Lowndes 71.1 5457 2722 2308Macon 70.8 8560 3499 1675Marengo 114.1 4925 3040 1374Monroe 108.0 4505 3031 1086

Perry 70.8 5613 3499 1675Pickens 109.5 5207 3550 1389Sumter 81.0 5189 3110 1773Washington 78.7 4435 3012 1233Wilcox 81.9 6105 3586 2072

Alabama 26775.6 6127 3449 1060US 5116775.0 5562 2946 1058

Source: US Census Bureau County and City Data Book 2000*Federal Funds sum of 2044.3 (million) in Alabama Black Belt, ** Total per capita $5542 (dollars) federal funds, *** Direct payments (per capita) $3350 (dollars), **** Grants (per capita) of counties $1627(dollars)***** US total per capita funds $5562

Table 7

Work Environment in the Alabama Black Belt________________________________________________________________________________________

Counties Meantime to work Workers Manufacturing Manufacturing Unemployment (%) (minutes) (production) 20 or more employees

Barbour 23.1 2783 41 53.70% 5.1Bullock 26 na 6 33.30% 9.9 Butler 26.3 1799 27 55.60% 11.3Choctaw 37.8 na 12 50% 8.6Clarke 26.2 2391 32 46.90% 8.9

Conecuh 26.2 4240 21 47.60% 7.4Dallas 23.6 2666 53 50.90% 10.5Escambia 25.5 na 53 32.10% 4.7Greene 28.8 1246 na na 10.3Hale 29 na 16 56.30% 7.6Lowndes 36.3 na 10 40.00% 11.8

Macon 25.4 na na na 6.1Marengo 25.5 1366 18 61.19% 4.7Monroe 23.3 3718 28 53.60% 9Perry 33.7 775 8 62.50% 11.7Pickens 30 958 21 52.40% 10.6Sumter 28 618 15 53.30% 13.2Washington 34.6 na 12 41.70% 12.3Wilcox 31.3 na 12 41.70% 11.8

Alabama 24.8 275637 5444 33.10% 4.0 US 12124001 363753 38.40% 4.6Source: US Census Bureau County and City Data Book 2000

Table 8

The Educational Levels of the Alabama Black Belt

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Counties High School Degree Bachelor’s Degree

Barbour 55.6 11.8Bullock 49 10.0Butler 52.8 8.0Choctaw 54.3 8.5Clarke 60.3 10.8

Conecuh 52.7 6.4Dallas 59.8 12.2Escambia 59.9 7.6Greene 53.8 10.4Hale 54.4 8.9Lowndes 56.7 8.2

Macon 61.9 18.0Marengo 61.4 11.5Monroe 59.2 10.8Perry 51 11.5Pickens 56.2 6.6Sumter 52.4 11.1Washington 58.2 6.7Wilcox 51.1 10.3

Alabama 66.9 15.7United States 75.2 20.3

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County and City Data Book: 2000. ** Average 55.8 with high school degree and 9.9 Bachelors for Alabama Black Belt

These pieces of legislation include:

**HR 678 the Southern Empowerment and Economic Development (SEED) Act of 2003:

DBBRA (Delta Black Belt Regional Authority) sponsored by Artur Davis (7th District, AL);

**HR 141 which is a reintroduction of the 107th Congress bill HR 3618: SECA (South East Crescent

Authority) sponsored by Congressman Mike McIntyre (7th District, NC) and

**S.527 entitled the Southern Regional Commission Act: SRC or the Southern Regional Commission

which is sponsored by Zell Miller of Georgia

Southern Regional Commission SRC

Duties include:*Develop comprehensive regional plan and establish

priorities and approve grants for the development of the region*Assess the regions needs and assets*Support and coordinate state initiatives to combat

persistent poverty*Promote coordinated multi-county efforts to

maximize local resources and effectiveness*Support community-based efforts*Support local development districts*Encourage private investment in the region*Utilize the research of land grant institutions in each state for research support

SRC

Coverage area:

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia

Program Priorities:

*Life-long learning prospects*Access to healthcare

*Job training and Skills training*Business development

*Affordable housing*Local leadership development*Public Infrastructure includinghigh technology infrastructure

Must meet the definition of persistent poverty (which has been defined

as counties with a high percentage of its residents living

in poverty for over twenty years).

This Commission would be funded at $20 million a year to 2008.

DBBRA Delta Black Belt Regional Authority

Delta Regional Authority’s original states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky,

Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, but it would also add Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina,

Texas and Virginia.

552 counties

Duties include:*Develop comprehensive plans,

establish priorities, and approve grant proposals

*Facilitate and coordinate interstate relations

*Review the needs and assets of the region and support State government and Local Development Districts with

economic development strategies*Assist private investment in the region

CRB (Constituency Representation Board)

This Constituency Representation Board would consist of representatives from each congressional district in the authority. Representatives would be selected by the Governor of the state after they have been nominated

by their Congressional representative.

These representatives must represent Community-based, Faith-based organizations or institutions of higher learning.

The representatives must reside in distressed areas of the district, have experience as a community and economic development practitioner, and

have direct contact with the impoverished population.

This Board would provide Congress with an annual report on the activities of the funded projects

Program Priorities:Basic public infrastructure in distressed counties/areas.

Transportation infrastructure to facilitate economic development.

Business development (emphasis on entrepreneurship).

Job training or employment-related education.

Educational improvements including adult and remedial education.

Access to affordable, quality healthcare in rural areas.Elimination of sub-standard housing facilities

Funding for the authority would be over $500 million dollars after a

five year period of time with $100 million dollars a year until 2008

**Twenty percent or more of the authority’s funding would have to go to community based organizations, faith-based organizations, or institutions of

higher education for programs within the proposed funding priorities.

Funding for transportation and infrastructure would be capped at 25

percent.

Program Priorities:Business Development

Job training or skills trainingLocal planning and leadership development

Basic public infrastructure in distressed areas

Infrastructure that promotes economic development

Other economic development projects

SECA

Southeastern Crescent Authority

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South

Carolina, Virginia

406 counties

The Southeast Crescent Authority would be funded $40 million a year

for a five year period until 2008.

Duties:

1. Develop plans for the Southern Region

2. Assess region’s needs and assets

3. Support local development districts

4. Encourage private investments

Contact your Congressional

Representatives

What did the people want?

Federal Commission Priorities:

1. Broad based representation at the board level

2. Get community input (on strategic planning)

3. Allocate resource through direct contact with people who work directly with persistent poverty population

Areas of Importance (Strategic Areas)

1. Comprehensive community planning2. Education3. Community Economic Development4. Resource development(capital and assets creation)

Priority Areas

1. Education

2. Healthcare

3. Transportation

4. Housing

5. Economic Development

6. Infrastructure Development

(no more than 25% for roads and bridges

Coming up with nontraditional intergovernmental, multi-county, community-based relationships

may be necessary to successfully implement any economic

development strategy.

The time has come to address the problems of the Black Belt

comprehensively not county by county, state by state but as a region. We can no longer afford to identify this region as a “forgotten region”.