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Page 10 The Skanner Portland & Seattle January 23, 2019 News MLK-Themed Study Reveals States with the Most Racial Progress ith Martin Lu- ther King Jr. Day around the corner and 58 percent of Americans saying increased diver- sity makes the United States a better place (while only 9 percent say it makes the U.S. worse), the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2019’s States with the Most Racial Progress. New Mexico, West Vir- ginia, Hawaii, Kentucky and Texas — in that order — were the states listed as being the most racially integrated. On the other hand, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico, Georgia and Mississippi — in that order — were listed as states with the most ra- W cial progress. The District of Co- lumbia has the lowest gap in homeownership rates between Whites and Blacks, at 13.41 per- cent while Connecticut has made the most prog- ress in closing this gap since 1970, with a change of 8.25 percent, accord- ing to the report released on Jan. 15. Hawaii enjoys the lowest gap in median annual household in- comes between Whites and Blacks, at 7.74 per- cent, and has made the most progress in closing this gap since 1979, with a change of 33.19 percent. Meanwhile, South Dakota has the lowest gap in unemployment rates between Whites and Blacks, at 0.85 per- cent and North Dakota has made the most prog- ress in closing this gap since 1970, with a change of 12.94 percent. Hawaii has the lowest gap in poverty rates between whites and blacks, at 0.87 percent and Mississippi has made the most progress in closing this gap since 1970, with a change of 24.80 per- cent, according to the report. New Mex- President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act as Martin Luther King, Jr., and others, look on, July 2, 1964. ico has the lowest gap in the share of a change of 5.71 percent. 2016 presidential elec- assistant professor in the adults 25 years and over To measure America’s tion: D.C., Connecticut, department of African with at least a bachelor’s progress in harmonizing Kansas, Wisconsin, and American Studies at the degree between whites racial groups, WalletHub Washington state – and University of Maryland. and blacks, at 0.83 per- researchers measured the states with the lowest “Some of these policies cent, and has made the the gaps between blacks voter turnout gap: Ken- were ‘color-blind’ but at most progress in closing and whites across 22 key tucky, Alabama, South times inadvertently — this gap since 1970, with indicators of equality Carolina, Nevada, Colo- and many times specifi- and integration in each rado and Texas. cally — restricted blacks of the 50 states and the Hawaii, Wyoming, New from these opportuni- District of Columbia. Mexico, Texas and Mary- ties,” Bell said. “Because The data set ranges land had the lowest pov- wealth building is gener- from median annual erty rate, while North ational, the policies and income to standard- ized-test scores to voter turnout. In light of the high-pro- file police-brutality in- cidents that sparked the Black Lives Matter move- ment and the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Lu- ther King Jr., the report only examines the dif- ferences between Blacks and Whites. In overall rankings of the most racially inte- grated states, the District of Columbia finished last while Wisconsin, Maine, Dakota, Iowa, Minneso- programs of the past that Iowa and Minnesota ta, Wisconsin and Maine advantaged Whites and were among the worst had the highest poverty restricted Blacks have five. rate. effects today and are the The survey also listed The report authors root causes of the huge those with the highest wrote that in 1963, King racial wealth gap we see voter turnout gap in the introduced the world to today,” she said. his dream of a colorblind The key to address- society — one that focus- ing racial inequality is es on character, not on acknowledging the ex- complexion. However, istence of race-based they said, segregation inequities, said Mamadi and discrimination con- Corra, a professor in the tinue to persist. sociology department at The authors also noted East Carolina University. that views on systemic “But acknowledging racism differ sharply the existence of racial across racial lines. inequality also requires According to a sur- following up with ac- vey by the Pew Research tions aimed at mitigating Center, 92 percent of it,” Corra said. Blacks said that “Whites “It follows that states benefit a great deal or a that have been more suc- fair amount from advan- cessful are those that ac- tages that Blacks do not knowledge the existence have.” of racial inequality, and In contrast, only 46 also follow this acknowl- percent of Whites agreed edgement with actions to with that statement. address inequality. “The racial wealth “And, I think it begins gap between Blacks and with education. With- Whites in the U.S. is due out directly naming any to structural racism, states, some have active- which have advantaged ly reduced support for average white families public education, while and historically re- others have increased or, stricted wealth building at the least, maintained opportunities among support,” he said. blacks,” said Caryn Bell, a WalletHub expert and CECIL STOUGHTON, WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE (WHPO), VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire “ To measure America’s progress in harmonizing racial groups, WalletHub researchers measured the gaps between Blacks and Whites across 22 key indica- tors of equality and integra- tion in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia