2. In the Shadows of Poverty Strengthening the Rural Poverty Research Capacity of the South July 23, 2004 Veronica L. Womack Georgia College and State University

3. The American Black Belt Region: A Forgotten Place

4. According to Falk and Rankin (1992), “The Black Belt does constitute a region in which contiguous counties have similar histories, socioeconomic organization (dependent upon agriculture), and political realities (where, in many instances, black could not vote as recently as 20 years ago), and unusually large black populations. There is no other place in the United States that includes such a large geographic territory, with so many people of one race, with so much common history”. (300-302)

5. Blakely and Bradshaw (2002) Goals of economic development strategies are to provide: 1) basic quality jobs for the current population, 2) achieve local economic stability, and 3) build a diverse economic and employment base.

6. Three possible reasons for the lack of federal funding: 1. These areas may be dependent on low-skilled labor and private industry may combat local governmental officials to keep them from pursuing human capacity building funds to keep a surplus of unskilled labor. 2. Rural Black Belt communities may have less local government officials with the experience needed to apply for and receive grants. 3. Some state and local development officials may use the metropolitan areas as “growth centers”. (25)

7. Devey-Tomaskovic and Roscigno (1996) believe the South’s destructive economic development strategies include: The encouragement of racially split labor markets, low wage job growth, the active and sometimes violent discouragement of unionization by the state as well as by employers, and very low levels (by standards of advanced industrial societies) of protective legislation for workers, transfer payments to the poor, and controls over business activity (569).

8. The Black Belt Survey (2003) found that Black Belt residents believe that the Black Belt is a decent place to live, “but has major problems: lack of jobs, a poor economy, bad roads, and an inadequate education”. The citizens also focus on the lack of local leadership stating, “that a lack of leadership, the inability to work together, politics and insufficient resources” are all reasons for the Alabama Black Belt’s problems.

10. Table 1 Alabama Black Belt Population ________________________________________________________________________________________ Counties Population Population Change(1990-2000) African American Population Barbour2903814.246.3 Bullock11714 6.173.1 Butler21399 -2.340.8 Choctaw15922 -.644.1 Clarke27867 2.343.0 Conecuh14089.243.6 Dallas46365 -3.763.3 Escambia38440 6.230.8 Greene9974 -1.880.3 Hale1718510.959.0 Lowndes13473 6.473.4 Macon 24105 -3.384.6 Marengo22539 -2.451.7 Monroe24324 1.540.1 Perry11861 -7.068.4 Pickens20949 1.243.0 Sumter14798 -8.573.2 Washington18097 8.426.9 Wilcox13183 -2.871.9 Alabama 444710010.126.0 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Source: United States Census 2000 State facts *Average 56% African American population

11. Healthcare Statistics of Alabama Black Belt CountiesInfant Death RateNumber of Physicians Number of Hospital Beds Barbour5.91874 Bullockna 930 Butler3.417 89 Choctaw na 7na Clarke6.1 17103 Conecuh31.3 7na Dallas8.3 96304 Escambia16.3 31118 Greene6.1 6 72 Hale3.7 5 30 Lowndes22.4 4 na Macon 10.8 23 na Marengo2.9 15 99 Monroe7.8 18 59 Perry22 4 76 Pickensna 13 50 Sumter na 6 na Washington 8.5 7 103 Wilcoxna 3 322 Alabama9.5 873316998 United States 2.2 693345 838988 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sources: US Census 2000 State Facts **306 Physicians and 1529 hospital beds in the region 9.5 Average of State and 7.2 average of US and 11.0 average for this region

12. Quality of Life in the Black Belt Counties Population (%) Children in Poverty(%) Violent crimes committed in poverty Barbour 23.8 32.0 6 Bullock 29.2 34.2 132 Butler 23.4 30.8 4 Choctaw 22.3 29.6 4 Clarke 21.8 29.9 25 Conecuh 27.4 39.2 19 Dallas 29.7 39.2 504 Escambia 20.8 27.8 215 Greene 35.5 44.6 64 Hale 26.6 34.1 58 Lowndes 31.5 39.4 59 Macon 31.9 40.4 108 Marengo 23.9 32.6 62 Monroe 21.6 30.5 202 Perry 36.6 45.2 5 Pickens 23.5 32.9 29 Sumter 33.1 40.1 24 Washington 19.0 25.4 21 Wilcox 36.1 44.0 12 Alabama 16.2 23.8 20432 United States 13.3 19.9 1328303 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Source: US Census Report 2000 State Facts **Black Belt Average population in poverty 27.3 **Children in Poverty in Alabama Black Belt 33.7, *** violent crimes committed=1602

13. Economic Conditions of the Black Belt Counties per capita % nat. ave. Median home Deposits* sales shop Barbour19360 71.2 68600 304.4 42 Bullock15833 58.2 56600 114.3 12 Butler16776 61.7 57700 211.1 31 Choctaw17780 65.4 60500 176.5 15 Clarke18309 67.3 67900 360.5 41 Conecuh18104 66.6 58600 106.7 17 Dallas 17675 65 64100 381.9 63 Escambia17654 64.9 66700 413.2 56 Greene14874 54.7 57000 40.9 5 Hale15711 57.8 66300 148.5 12 Lowndes14741 54.2 55500 79.4 4 Macon15235 56 64200 105 21 Marengo18959 69.7 65900 321.8 34 Monroe18094 66.5 66900 253.6 34 Perry14190 52.2 47600 105 11 Pickens17226 63.3 66000 225.3 14 Sumter15071 55.4 54000 108.6 21 Washington17912 65.8 63000 114.5 13 Wilcox13728 50.5 52200 115.5 17 Alabama22054 81.1 85100 52 700.3 United States 27203 119,600 _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Sources: US Census Report 2000 * millions **Average per Capita income of Region: $15814, *** Median worth of Homes $61015, **** sum of Black Belt deposits 3686.7, Number of shops in Black Belt= 463

14. Table 6 Federal Funds in the Alabama Black Belt ________________________________________________________________________________________ Counties Federal Funds Total (per Capita) Direct Payments (ind.) Grants Barbour 130.2 4873 3316 1195 Bullock 61.1 5383 3248 1842 Butler 121.7 5656 3581 1852 Choctaw 78.9 5087 3293 1385 Clarke 144.7 5033 3138 1623 Conecuh 76.6 5590 3892 1367 Dallas 314.8 6745 3919 1524 Escambia 175.1 4776 3332 1002 Greene 68.6 7029 3396 3232 Hale 86.6 5133 3486 1317 Lowndes 71.1 5457 2722 2308 Macon 70.8 8560 3499 1675 Marengo 114.1 4925 3040 1374 Monroe 108.0 4505 3031 1086 Perry 70.8 5613 3499 1675 Pickens 109.5 5207 3550 1389 Sumter 81.0 5189 3110 1773 Washington 78.7 4435 3012 1233 Wilcox 81.9 6105 3586 2072 Alabama 26775.6 6127 3449 1060 US 5116775.0 5562 2946 1058 Source: US Census Bureau County and City Data Book 2000 *Federal Funds sum of 2044.3 (million) in Alabama Black Belt, ** Total per capita $5542 (dollars) federal funds, *** Direct payments (per capita) $3350 (dollars), **** Grants (per capita) of counties $1627(dollars) ***** US total per capita funds $5562

15. Table 7 Work Environment in the Alabama Black Belt ________________________________________________________________________________________ Counties Meantime to work Workers Manufacturing Manufacturing Unemployment (%) (minutes) (production) 20 or more employees Barbour 23.1 2783 41 53.70% 5.1 Bullock 26 na 6 33.30% 9.9 Butler 26.3 1799 27 55.60% 11.3 Choctaw 37.8 na 12 50% 8.6 Clarke 26.2 2391 32 46.90% 8.9 Conecuh 26.2 4240 21 47.60% 7.4 Dallas 23.6 2666 53 50.90% 10.5 Escambia 25.5 na 53 32.10% 4.7 Greene 28.8 1246 na na 10.3 Hale 29 na 16 56.30% 7.6 Lowndes 36.3 na 10 40.00% 11.8 Macon 25.4 na na na 6.1 Marengo 25.5 1366 18 61.19% 4.7 Monroe 23.3 3718 28 53.60% 9 Perry 33.7 775 8 62.50% 11.7 Pickens 30 958 21 52.40% 10.6 Sumter 28 618 15 53.30% 13.2 Washington 34.6 na 12 41.70% 12.3 Wilcox 31.3 na 12 41.70% 11.8 Alabama 24.8 275637 5444 33.10% 4.0 US 12124001 363753 38.40% 4.6 Source: US Census Bureau County and City Data Book 2000

16. Table 8 The Educational Levels of the Alabama Black Belt ______________________________________________________________________________________ CountiesHigh School DegreeBachelor’s Degree Barbour55.611.8 Bullock4910.0 Butler52.8 8.0 Choctaw54.3 8.5 Clarke60.310.8 Conecuh52.7 6.4 Dallas59.812.2 Escambia59.9 7.6 Greene53.810.4 Hale54.4 8.9 Lowndes56.7 8.2 Macon 61.9 18.0 Marengo61.411.5 Monroe59.210.8 Perry 5111.5 Pickens56.2 6.6 Sumter52.411.1 Washington58.2 6.7 Wilcox51.110.3 Alabama66.915.7 United States75.220.3 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County and City Data Book: 2000. ** Average 55.8 with high school degree and 9.9 Bachelors for Alabama Black Belt

17. These pieces of legislation include: **HR 678 the Southern Empowerment and Economic Development (SEED) Act of 2003: DBBRA (Delta Black Belt Regional Authority) sponsored by Artur Davis (7th District, AL); **HR 141 which is a reintroduction of the 107th Congress bill HR 3618: SECA (South East Crescent Authority) sponsored by Congressman Mike McIntyre (7th District, NC) and **S.527 entitled the Southern Regional Commission Act: SRC or the Southern Regional Commission which is sponsored by Zell Miller of Georgia

18. Southern Regional Commission SRC Duties include: *Develop comprehensive regional plan and establish priorities and approve grants for the development of the region *Assess the regions needs and assets *Support and coordinate state initiatives to combat persistent poverty *Promote coordinated multi-county efforts to maximize local resources and effectiveness *Support community-based efforts *Support local development districts *Encourage private investment in the region *Utilize the research of land grant institutions in each state for research support

19. SRC Coverage area: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia

20. Program Priorities: *Life-long learning prospects *Access to healthcare *Job training and Skills training *Business development *Affordable housing *Local leadership development *Public Infrastructure including high technology infrastructure

21. Must meet the definition of persistent poverty ( which has been defined as counties with a high percentage of its residents living in poverty for over twenty years). This Commission would be funded at $20 million a year to 2008.

22. DBBRA Delta Black Belt Regional Authority Delta Regional Authority’s original states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, but it would also add Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. 552 counties

23. Duties include: *Develop comprehensive plans, establish priorities, and approve grant proposals *Facilitate and coordinate interstate relations *Review the needs and assets of the region and support State government and Local Development Districts with economic development strategies *Assist private investment in the region

24. CRB (Constituency Representation Board) This Constituency Representation Board would consist of representatives from each congressional district in the authority. Representatives would be selected by the Governor of the state after they have been nominated by their Congressional representative. These representatives must represent Community-based, Faith-based organizations or institutions of higher learning. The representatives must reside in distressed areas of the district, have experience as a community and economic development practitioner, and have direct contact with the impoverished population. This Board would provide Congress with an annual report on the activities of the funded projects

25. Program Priorities: Basic public infrastructure in distressed counties/areas. Transportation infrastructure to facilitate economic development. Business development (emphasis on entrepreneurship). Job training or employment-related education. Educational improvements including adult and remedial education. Access to affordable, quality healthcare in rural areas. Elimination of sub-standard housing facilities

26. Funding for the authority would be over $500 million dollars after a five year period of time with $100 million dollars a year until 2008

27. **Twenty percent or more of the authority’s funding would have to go to community based organizations, faith- based organizations, or institutions of higher education for programs within the proposed funding priorities. Funding for transportation and infrastructure would be capped at 25 percent.

28. Program Priorities: Business Development Job training or skills training Local planning and leadership development Basic public infrastructure in distressed areas Infrastructure that promotes economic development Other economic development projects

29. SECA Southeastern Crescent Authority Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia 406 counties

30. The Southeast Crescent Authority would be funded $40 million a year for a five year period until 2008.

31. Duties: 1.Develop plans for the Southern Region 2.Assess region’s needs and assets 3.Support local development districts 4.Encourage private investments

32. Contact your Congressional Representatives

33. What did the people want? Federal Commission Priorities: 1.Broad based representation at the board level 2.Get community input (on strategic planning) 3.Allocate resource through direct contact with people who work directly with persistent poverty population

34. Areas of Importance (Strategic Areas) 1. Comprehensive community planning 2. Education 3. Community Economic Development 4. Resource development(capital and assets creation)

35. Priority Areas 1.Education 2.Healthcare 3.Transportation 4.Housing 5.Economic Development 6.Infrastructure Development (no more than 25% for roads and bridges

36. Coming up with nontraditional intergovernmental, multi-county, community-based relationships may be necessary to successfully implement any economic development strategy.

37. The time has come to address the problems of the Black Belt comprehensively not county by county, state by state but as a region. We can no longer afford to identify this region as a “forgotten region”.