Once a staple in big cities like Philadelphia, Detroit and Atlanta, African Americans are leaving in herds and heading toward the suburbs.
The Washington Post reports that eight of the nation's top majority-black districts lost an average of more than 10 percent of their African-American populations. This new census data is troubling not just to the cities themselves but also to lawmakers around the country.
African Americans are a strong and solid base for Democrats, and with these new numbers, Republicans see a chance to redraw congressional districts for their benefit.
From the Washington Post:
"In the Detroit area, for instance, Democratic Reps. John Conyers Jr. and Hansen Clarke lost nearly one-quarter of the 800,000 black voters in their districts since 2000, with many of them migrating to nearby districts. The expansion of Clarke's and Conyers's districts could help Michigan Republicans eliminate a Democratic district in the area."
As the nation gears up for the 2012 elections, this can have real implications on President Obama's re-election campaign and black lawmakers seeking to hold on to their seats around the country. Furthermore, Republican's redistricting plans could also weaken the influence of African Americans as a voting bloc.
Read more at the Washington Post.
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