Hispanics will soon outnumber blacks in U.S.
WASHINGTON
(API — Hispanic*
will eclipse blacks
as the nation's
largest minority
group in the year
2010. the government said Tuesday in a
report that predicts a considerably differ
ent America by the mid-21st century.
By 2050. the U.S. population will be
almost evenly divided between minori
ties and non-Hispanic whites, the Census
Bureau said.
The bureau's new projections also fore
cast faster general population growth
than previously expected, estimating that
the U.S. population will reach 302 mil
lion by 2050. That's 52 percent more than
tiie 258.7 million Americans today.
It's also up nine million from a projec
tion issued just last year.
The projection was changed to account
for the return of many military people
from abroad, updated birth and death sta
tistics. and information showing how
new immigration rules have affected the
population, said Jennifer Hay, a Census
M
Hurt’su demographer and author of the
report
Minorities will increase their share of
the population, the report said
• Hispanic*, from their present 9 per
cent of the population to 14 percent in
2010 and 23 percent in 2050.
• Blacks, from 12 percent today to just
more than 13 porcunl in 2010 and IB per
cent in 2050.
• Asian-Americans, now 3 percent of
the population, to 10 percent at mid-cen
tury. They will remain the fastest-grow
ing racial group.
• American Indians, from a little below
1 percent to slightly above 1 £prcent.
Although their share barely changes, their
numbers will double from 2.1 million to
4.3 million.
The growth will affect America's non
Hispanic whites, the group that has dom
inated the nation's politics, economy and
culture throughout most of its history.
Their show of the population will drop
from 76 percent now to 6H percent in
2010 and 53 percent in 2050. Their num
ber will increase from 1 HBfi million to
205.8 million.
The explosion in the Hispamc-Ameri
can population is protected to center
around a baby boom Births accounted for
about two-thirds of the protected Hispan
ic increase, immigration accounts for the
rest.
The number of Hispanic births will
double by mid-century, the Census
Bureau said Presently Hispanic women
age 14 to 49 on average bear 2.9 children
apiece over a lifetime, the highest rate of
any major ethnic or racial group
The birth rate for non-Hispanic white
women is 19 children The Census
Bureau projects births to whites will
decline to 2010 and then start to increase.
Black births are expec ted to increase
steadily by 00 percent I cot ween now and
2050, and Asian births are likely to triple
American Indian births will increase bv
half.
The rapid increase in Hispanics com
pared to other minority groups will bring
changes to America from the classroom to
tho Congress.
"Tho mushrooming numbers should
translate into n much more vigorous
political clout, with more Hispanic mem
bers of Congress." said Rep. Jose Serrano,
a New York Democrat and leader of tho
Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "These
are not abstract numbers to us at ull They
are a window into the future."
Much of the increase will hap|Htn in a
few parts of the country, mainly Califor
nia. Florida, Now York, Texas and the
Southwest, saitl William O'Hare, demog
rapher at the University of Louisville.
"If they're localized, they will control
more congressional distrii ts." O'Hare
said. "It means if the < ountrv is 25 per
cent Hispanu , they mat have half the
congressional districts in Texas and zero
in the northern plains
In the Census Bureau's system, His
panics are an ethnic group, not a race.
That means they include people from all
the racial classifications American Indi
ans. Asian-Americans. blacks and whites
Hispanic blacks are expet t to be n!>out
1 percent of tho population in 2050
What books are profs reading?
BUFFALO. N.Y. (AP) — look
ing for books a college professor
might read? Try The Joy of
Cooking or Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance.
Those are among 48 entries on
the University of Buffalo’s
‘■Unrequired Rending List," a
compilation of the faculty's best
loved books.
"The list isn't made up neces
sarily of the 'great books.' but
it's definitely full of good
books." said Peter Gold, associ
ale dean of the university'*
undergraduate college, who
headed the project. "Our mis
sion was not to list the great
works of world literature hut to
help undergrads enjoy reading
more."
The list was selected by a pan
el of professors from various dis
ciplines. The 4H titles give
undergraduates one book to read
for each month of their college
career.
Novels include Ray Brad
bury's Fahrenheit 451, Ralph
Ellison's Invisible Man. Joseph
Heller's Catch 22. Kurt Von
oegut's Cat's Cradle and Kather
ine Dunn's Ge$k Love.
Non-fiction titles include The
Discoverers by Daniel Boorstln,
Voyage of the Beagle by Charles
Darwin. The Guns of August by
Barbara Tuchman. Bury My
Heart at Wounded knee by Dee
Brown and The Tomb of
Tutankhamen by Howard
Carter.
Woman’s death on tape
NOVI. Mich. (AP) — A woman culled police and screamed.
"Help, help, he’a killing me!” When officers arrived they found
her husband clutching a 10-inch kitchen knifo stuck into her
chest.
Theresa Watkins, 68, died after suffering about 20 stab
wounds early Sunday, authorities Mid. Frederick ). Watkins.
76. was failed without bond. No court dato was set.
A 911 recording captured Mrs. Watkins pleading for mercy
during the attack.
“Help, help, he's killing me! ... Skip, don't stah me again,"
she yelled.
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