The Historical Context Surrounding Ferguson

Ferguson is a 21,000 person suburb of St. Louis that is predominantly Black (60%), highl y segregated, and poor with one in four residents living below the poverty line as of 2012.

47 percent of the metro area’s African-American men between ages 16 and 24 are unemployed. The comparable figure for young white men is 16 percent.

Despite the fact that the majority of the residents of Ferguson are black, only 3 African Americans serve on the police force. This fact is more stark when we consider that African Americans account for 86% of all police stops and 92% of all arrests. Beyond law enforcement, the law makers are also predominantly white. The mayor, chief of police, and 5 of the 6 city council members are white.

Today the city of St. Louis is the 9th most segregated city in the U.S.

Areas with more than 1 million residents

9. Kansas City, MO-KS

Pct. of population living in segregated areas: 37.8%

Black poverty rate: 26.4%White poverty rate: 8.3%Black unemployment rate: 13.4%White unemployment rate: 5.6%

8. Birmingham-Hoover, AL

> Pct. of population living in segregated areas: 39.8%> Black poverty rate: 26.9%> White poverty rate: 10.4%> Black unemployment rate: 8.3%> White unemployment rate: 5.7%

7. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 40.4%> Black poverty rate: 21.5%> White poverty rate: 6.8%> Black unemployment rate: 9.2%> White unemployment rate: 5.9%

6. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 45.0%> Black poverty rate: 25.2%> White poverty rate: 10.5%> Black unemployment rate: 11.1%> White unemployment rate: 4.7%

5. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 48.6%> Black poverty rate: 33.5%> White poverty rate: 10.3%> Black unemployment rate: 10.2%> White unemployment rate: 6.1%

4. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 51.1%> Black poverty rate: 31.1%> White poverty rate: 11.0%> Black unemployment rate: 13.2%> White unemployment rate: 6.4%

3. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 51.4%> Black poverty rate: 38.4%> White poverty rate: 7.6%> Black unemployment rate: 16.3%> White unemployment rate: 5.9%

2. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 51.9%> Black poverty rate: 33.3%> White poverty rate: 10.6%> Black unemployment rate: 15.1%> White unemployment rate: 7.6%

1. Cleveland-Elyria, OH> Pct. of population living in segregated

areas: 55.1%> Black poverty rate: 33.6%> White poverty rate: 9.3%> Black unemployment rate: 20.2%> White unemployment rate: 5.4%

Officer Darren Wilson

What's Going On?!?

Police Brutality

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