1963 vs. Today: African-American Progress by the Numbers

U.S. Census Bureau data highlights advances for Blacks.

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Population - In 1964 there was an estimated total of 20,255,067 or 10.7 percent of Blacks residing in the United States. In 2012, there was double the amount of Blacks in America with the U.S. Census Bureau counting an estimated total of 44,456,009. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Voting - In the 1964 presidential election 58.5 percent of Blacks over 18 voted. In 2012, the numbers increased as 62 percent of Blacks over 18 voted in the election.(Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)Elected Officials - In 1970, there were only 1,469 elected Black officials. By 2011, there were an estimated 10,500 Black elected officials. (Photo: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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1963 vs. Today: African-American Progress by the Numbers - (Photo: AFP/Getty Images) In honor of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the U.S. Census Bureau released key statistics that mark changes in the African-American population. The data highlights significant advances in voting, income and other areas from 1963 to present day. —Dominique Zonyéé

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