African Americans
According to the Census 2000, African Americans are the second largest
group after the White category and are "people in the United States who
have origins in any of the Black races of Africa" or the Caribbean. They
compose 12.9% (36.5 million people) of the nation's population and are
the largest ethnic minority group in the United States. Immigrants came
as slaves or free people and have been documented in every aspect of the
development of the United States. Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka
and the Civil Right Movement encouraged hope for a better life for
African Americans. However, segregation still occurs, and they are still
treated publicly and privately as second class citizens.
