Hispanic Americans, (General):

Hispanic Americans, (General):

1.) Now America’s largest minority: People of Hispanic descent outnumber African Americans and all other racial/ethnic groups except whites.

Race or Ethnicity	Number (2003)	Percent of Population
Hispanic Descent	35,305,818	12.5%
African Descent	34,658,190	12.3%
Native American	2,475,956	.9%
Asian or Pacific Islander	10,641,833	3.8%
West Indian Descent	1,869,504	.7
Arab Descent	1,202,871	.04
Non-Hispanic European	194,552,774	70.9
*Reported 2 or more races	6,826,228	2.4

By far, Hispanics are the largest immigrant population in the U.S.-- 3,919,056 legal immigrants between 1991 and 1999 according to Parrillo p. 426) and the largest number come from Mexico. Total immigration (all nationalities) to the United States between 2000 and 2003 was estimated at 3,683,684 (Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), Office of Management, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 2003 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics). (Between 2000 and 2003 the INS estimated that approximately 755,589 immigrants came to the U.S. from Mexico). http://uscis.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/ybpage.htm

2.) Location: America’s Hispanic population is concentrated, not spread out in the United States

In 2000, 50% of all Hispanics lived in two states: California and Texas. 77% of all Hispanics lived in just 7 states with populations of 1 million Hispanics or more: California; Texas; New York; Florida; Illinois; Arizona; and New Jersey. The nation’s ten largest cities have significant Hispanic Populations: New York (27%); Los Angeles (47%); Chicago (26%); Houston (37%); Philadelphia (8%); Phoenix (34%); San Diego (25%); Dallas (36%); San Antonio (59%); Detroit (5%)

3.) Income: Hispanic Americans fall below Asian and Pacific Islanders; and Whites but their median income is above African Americans’ median income

Median (MD) Family Income of Selected Groups; 1990 and 2001

Race or Ethnicity	MD Family Income 1990		MD Family Income 2001
Race or Ethnicity	1990 dollars	2001 dollars	2001 dollars
Hispanic Descent	$23,431	$30,772	$34,490
African Descent	$21,423	$28,135	$33,598
Native American	Na	Na	Na
Asian or Pacific Islander	$42,246	$55,482	$60,158
West Indian Descent	Na	Na	Na
Arab Descent	Na	Na	Na
White (Non Hispanic)	$38,239	$50,219	$57,328

U.S. Census Historical Income Tables http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/histinc/f05.html

On page 434, using data from the 2000 census, Parrillo claims that the income gap between Hispanics and Blacks is growing. But census data obtained for the year 2001Current Population Survey indicate that the gap between Blacks and Hispanics is actually closing. In fact, looking at census data for 2000, presented in the 2002 Statistical Abstract of the United States (p. 436), median family income for Blacks is $34,192. For Hispanics, the corresponding figure is $35,054. Each of these figures differs from given in Parrillo on p. 435. Which suggests that an error may have been made by Parrillo when transposing census data

4.) Education: Although Hispanics have higher median earnings than Blacks, their educational levels fall far below what African Americans have achieved.

Percent of People 25 Years and Over Who Have Completed High School or More:

Race or Ethnicity	1993			2003
Race or Ethnicity	Both sexes	Male	Female	Both sexes	Male	Female
Hispanic Descent	53.1%	52.9%	53.2%	57.0%	56.3%	57.8%
African Descent	70.4%	69.6%	71.1%	80.3%	79.9%	80.7%
Native American
Asian or Pacific Islander				87.6%
West Indian Descent
Arab Descent
White Non-Hispanic	84.1%	84.5%	83.8%	89.4%	89.0%	89.7%

U.S. Census Historical Reports Table A-2 http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/education/tabA-2.xls

In this table whites have exceeded Asians in educational achievement. But, that is when measuring high school completion. When comparing the percentage of people with college degrees, a different picture emerges: Hispanics have the lowest percentage of college graduates of all groups.

Percent of People 25 Years and Over Who have Completed a Bachelor’s Degree or More:

Race or Ethnicity	2003 % with at least a BA/BS
Race or Ethnicity	Both sexes	Male	Female
Hispanic Descent	11.4%
African Descent	17.3%
Native American
Asian or Pacific Islander	49.8%
West Indian Descent
Arab Descent
White Non-Hispanic	30.0%

U.S. Census: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2003. CPR P20-50

http://www.census.gov/prod2004pubs/p20-550.pdf

Parrillo argues that the Hispanics fall behind other groups in educational attainment due to 1.) limited formal education of parents; 2.) less preschool experience for Hispanic children; 3.) “cultural/linguistic differences encountered in school”; 4.) the increased number of recent Hispanic immigrants with lower educational attainment levels. Among all Hispanics, Mexicans are the least educated while Cubans are the most highly educated (Parrillo, p. 432).

5.) Poverty Rates: Other differences are evident in poverty rates—Central and South Americans and Cubans (16-17%) fare better than Mexicans and Puerto Ricans (24-26%).

6.) Cultural Characteristics:

La Raza Cosmica

Machismo

Marianismo

Dignidad

Color Gradient vs Color Line

Concept of Time

7.) Mexicans’ experience in the U.S.

8.) Puerto Ricans’ experience in the U.S.

9.) Cubans’ experience in the U.S.

10.) Caribbean, Central, and South Americans’ experience in the U.S.

11.) Hispanic American Assimilation

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