It was inevitable, but some people are still going to be shocked.

The Associated Press reports that for the first time in modern United States history minorities make up a majority of the nation’s babies. This reality is a combination of a burgeoning Hispanic population, continued growth among Blacks and Asian-Americans, intermarriage and immigration by people of color from around the planet.

Racial and ethnic minorities will be the U.S. majority by midcentury. And according to PolicyLink, by 2042, people of color will be the new majority.

New census data also reveals that more Black children are likely to be raised without a father present in their lives, as there are now more Black households headed by women, most of whom are single mothers, than there are African-American households with married couples.

Politicians, demographers and businesspeople will take note as the impact of greater numbers of minority children will transform economic and government policies, as well as commercial opportunites, as the percentage of white older Americans declines.

(Photo: Detroit Free Press/ MCT /LANDOV)