2005 Race Relations Progress Report

race relations progress report

in association with

table of contents

executive summary 3

introduction 5

demographics of jacksonville, florida 7

perceptions of race relations 9

perceptions of racism and discrimination 11

education 13

employment and income 17

neighborhoods and housing 20

health access and outcomes 23

justice and the legal system 26

political process and civic engagement 29

survey methodology 31

about jcci 32

progress report • 1

Jacksonville Community Council Inc.2434 Atlantic Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32207

Phone: 904/396-3052 Fax: 904/398-1469www.jcci.org

executive summaryAcross the United States, communities are grapplingwith the issues of race relations and racial disparities. In a recent national Gallup poll (2004), 45 percent ofrespondents thought race relations would always be aproblem for the United States; 51 percent were moreoptimistic, saying that a solution would eventually beworked out. The 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board ofEducation in 2004 elicited national conversation aboutcontinuing racial disparities in education. In March 2005,commenting on the National Healthcare DisparitiesReport, Senators William Frist and Edward Kennedyjoined in calling racial disparities in health outcomes a“national embarrassment” and “an affront to the U.S.promise of equal opportunity for all.” And the NationalUrban League’s The State of Black America 2004 usedracial disparities to calculate an “equality index,” arguingthat over the last 216 years, black Americans haveprogressed from being Constitutionally defined as 3/5 of a person to enjoying a quality of life 75 percent asgood as that of a white American.

Within this national context, the Jacksonville communityseeks to improve race relations and address racial dis-parities. JCCI’s 2002 study, Beyond the Talk: ImprovingRace Relations, concluded that reaching a vision of racialjustice and inclusion required eliminating racial dispari-ties and discrimination. To build support for that vision,the report called on JCCI to develop a report card tomeasure progress and hold the community accountablefor achieving this vision. This baseline report is theresult of that charge, and reflects the combined effortsof JCCI, Jacksonville University, Edward Waters College,and the citizens of Jacksonville.

The progress report uses available community informa-tion, telephone surveys, and focus groups to measurethe current state of race relations and racial disparities.Due to funding limitations, survey responses and focusgroups were limited to black and white participants, butcommunity data, where available, is broken down by allavailable racial and ethnic diversity categories.

The report examines perceptions of race relations anddiscrimination. Black and white perceptions of race rela-tions in Jacksonville have always been different, but thegap between those perceptions has been getting wider.Black survey respondents reported their experienceswith discrimination. White survey respondents toldabout their experiences with “reverse discrimination.”Among all survey respondents, generational differencesplayed a significant role in how respondents viewed racerelations in Jacksonville.

The report measures racial disparities across six elementsof community life: education, employment and income,neighborhoods and housing, health care access and out-comes, justice and the legal system, and political andcivic engagement.

In education, public school student performance for allgroups has improved, but because white student per-formance has generally increased faster, the achieve-ment gap between white and black students haswidened. The same is true for college continuation rates as well. Since 1990, educational attainment hassimilarly improved, though the disparities remain.

In employment and income, the black middle class hasincreased, but half of all black families live below 175percent of the federal poverty line ($32,988 for a familyof four in 2004). Black families received public assis-tance at five times the rate of white families. Businessleadership and ownership in Jacksonville remained pre-dominantly white, as only 3.6 percent of local CEOswere black in 2000.

Jacksonville neighborhoods have been desegregating.The community is now the second-least segregatedmajor city in the United States. However, the disparity inhomeownership has grown, with a lower rate of blackfamilies owning their own home, and three out of tenblack homeowners using subprime lending to financetheir home purchase.

In health outcomes, racial disparities in infant mortality,prostate cancer deaths, and deaths due to diabetes haveincreased. The mortality rates for heart disease, stroke,and breast cancer have declined, with the racial dispari-ties decreasing. Black families reported lower rates ofhealth insurance coverage, and lower rates of employer-provided coverage.

In the legal system, racial disproportions in arrests andincarcerations continued. 86 percent of black respon-dents thought “racial profiling” was widespread. Blackjuvenile arrestees were handled by the justice system orcommitted for delinquency at higher rates than whites,while white juvenile arrestees were placed on probationor entered a diversionary program at higher rates.

In politics and civic engagement, 2004 saw a surge inblack voter registration. In the 2004 elections, only 3 percent of whites and 4 percent of blacks surveyedreported encountering difficulty in voting. In anothersurvey, more black respondents said they could influ-ence local government decision-making than whiterespondents.


introductionIn the fall of 2001, JCCI boldly embarked on a study ofrace relations in Jacksonville. More than 100 peoplesigned up for what turned out to be nine months ofweekly sessions to assess race relations in Jacksonvilleand to determine how they could be improved. JudgeBrian Davis and Bruce Barcelo chaired the study, enti-tled Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations. Theintent of the study was to confirm whether racial dispari-ties do in fact exist and to examine in a time of calm thepractices of public and private institutions that may per-petuate mistrust and even anger among the races. Thestudy committee heard from 51 resource presenters andreviewed a wealth of research data. The study docu-mented that racial disparities were prevalent locally in six areas: education, income and employment, housing,health, criminal justice, and the political process.Beyond the Talk concluded that quality of life disparitiesare caused by multiple factors: individual racism, individ-ual behavior, and the practices of public and private institutions.

Beyond the Talk presented a set of 27 recommendationsto improve race relations in Jacksonville and to eliminateracial disparities. A primary recommendation stated thatJCCI should convene citizens to create and distribute anannual report card on race relations in Jacksonville, modeled after JCCI's Quality of Life Progress Report.The report card should measure raced-based disparitiesas well as perceptions of racism and discrimination in thecommunity. The recommendation also called for thereport card to prioritize these measures based on theneed for action to improve race relations. However, the committee of citizens that reviewed the report feltthat all the measures were crucial to improvement anddecided not to prioritize them in this initial report.

The Beyond the Talk study included a vision forJacksonville of racial justice and inclusion, in which allresidents feel free to, and actually do, participate fully inpublic life, unimpeded by racial disparities or discrimina-tion. This first progress report is designed to serve as abenchmark for measuring future progress, but availabletrend data has also been included where appropriate.Over time, the progress report will serve as a catalyst for community-wide accountability, documenting thedegree of progress toward resolving racial disparitiesand improving race relations in Jacksonville. All indica-tors measure the quality of life in Jacksonville/ DuvalCounty, Florida, unless otherwise noted.

Jacksonville University (JU) and Edward Waters College(EWC) joined with JCCI to create this progress report.JCCI was tasked with researching objective data fromvarious public and private sources in the community. JU developed a survey instrument (see p. 31) to fur-ther probe race relations in Jacksonville and administeredthat survey. EWC and JU led focus groups to furtherexplore perceptions of race relations and racial dispari-ties in Jacksonville.

This effort received major support from the City ofJacksonville, the Weaver Family Foundation, and the IdaM. Stevens Foundation. Significant support was also pro-vided by The Community Foundation, the DaltonAgency, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Wachovia Bank,CSX Corporation, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber ofCommerce, United Way of Northeast Florida, and anony-mous individual support.

Special thanks to the citizen task force that identified theindicators and reviewed the document as it progressedfor fairness, clarity, and accuracy. Afesa Adams servedas the chair. Participants in the design and review of thisprogress report included Michael Boylan, Joy Burgess,Doug Saint Carter, John Cobb, Jim Crooks, RichardDanford, Bill David, Brian Davis, Charles Griggs, RobertHenline, Charlene Taylor Hill, Joe Honeycutt, RodneyHurst, Pete Jackson, Sharon Laird, Marietta LeBlanc,Wally Lee, Bill Livingood, Frank Mackesy, Claud Meyers,Doug Milne, Ray Oldakowski, Melanie Patz, Glori White-Peters, Rhonda Poirier, Peter Racine, Bruce Reid, CherylRiddick, Connie Smith, Mary Ellen Smith, Maria Taylor,Deborah Thompson, Jennifer Towers, GlendaWashington, Jamie Wilbanks, and Delphia Williams.

Most importantly, we thank you for reading this progressreport and actively urge you to use the information con-tained within to work to end racial disparities and toimprove race relations. Additional copies of this reportare available at JCCI’s office at 2434 Atlantic Boulevard,Jacksonville, Florida 32207, or call JCCI at (904) 396-3052. The progress report is also available online atwww.jcci.org. For questions or comments about theprogress report, please e-mail [email protected].


demographics of jacksonville, floridaThe progress report focuses on Jacksonville/Duval County, Florida, a consolidated city-county government.Sometimes data in this document refer to the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes thecounties of Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns. Where possible, the report attempts to capture data representing the broad racial and ethnic diversity of Jacksonville; however, both data limitations and relative population size restrict some of the racial and ethnic breakdowns in the indicators.

The progress report includes responses to a Jacksonville University survey. Funding constraints limited that survey to black and white respondents. More information about the survey methodology is found on page 31. In addition,some data from an American Public Dialogue survey conducted for JCCI’s 2004 Quality of Life Progress Report areincluded for discussion. Its methodology is found on p. 31 as well.

The 2000 U.S. Census provided the following information about Northeast Florida’s population:Native

White Black American Asian Hispanic OtherBaker County 84.0% 13.9% 0.4% 0.4% 1.9% 1.2%Clay County 87.4% 6.7% 0.5% 2.0% 4.3% 3.4%Duval County 65.8% 27.8% 0.3% 2.7% 4.1% 3.4%Nassau County 90.0% 7.7% 0.4% 0.5% 1.5% 1.3%St. Johns County 90.9% 6.3% 0.3% 1.0% 2.6% 1.6%Total 72.9% 21.5% 0.3% 2.3% 3.8% 3.0%

The University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research provided these detailed estimates ofJacksonville’s 2003 population:

Age White Black Hispanic Other Total0-17 117,261 77,941 12,056 9,578 216,83618-64 338,799 143,573 23,362 17,664 523,39865+ 65,811 16,410 1,802 2,022 86,045Total 521,871 237,924 37,220 29,264 826,279

The City of Jacksonville is divided geographically into six planning districts. Racial makeup of these planning districts,along with the Beaches and Baldwin municipalities, in 2000 were:

Native TotalWhite Black American Asian Other Population

Urban Core 17.3% 80.6% 0.3% 0.4% 1.4% 42,635Greater Arlington 69.4% 21.8% 0.4% 3.9% 4.6% 186,072Southeast 81.1% 11.2% 0.3% 3.8% 3.6% 195,721Southwest 70.6% 21.5% 0.4% 3.5% 4.0% 133,867Northwest 40.8% 56.4% 0.3% 0.9% 1.6% 128,848North 66.0% 31.6% 0.4% 0.5% 1.5% 48,474

Atlantic Beach 82.2% 12.7% 0.3% 2.1% 2.7% 13,368Jacksonville Beach 90.9% 4.8% 0.3% 1.7% 2.3% 20,990Neptune Beach 96.1% 0.7% 0.4% 1.1% 1.7% 7,270Baldwin 67.1% 30.9% 0.2% 0.9% 0.9% 1,634

Population counts and projections for Duval County by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research are as follows:Total

Year White Black Hispanic Other Population2000 64.6% 28.0% 4.1% 3.3% 778,8792010 60.5% 30.3% 5.2% 4.0% 910,5022020 57.5% 31.9% 5.9% 4.7% 1,026,1132030 55.3% 33.0% 6.6% 5.1% 1,130,873


perceptions of race relationsThe Beyond the Talk: Improving Race Relations studyfound that “differing perceptions of the quality of racerelations are related to differing perceptions of theextent of discrimination in Jacksonville.” The study fur-ther concluded that these differences in perceptions ofdiscrimination and the existence of racial disparities inthe community made significant differences in opinionabout public policy towards race-based issues.

Because of limitations in the survey instruments, percep-tions of race relations and discrimination were measura-ble only for white and black populations. The Beyondthe Talk study found that the increasingly diverse popu-lation of Jacksonville, with growing Hispanic, Asian, andother racial and ethnic populations, adds complexity toefforts to address race relations.

JCCI has been tracking perceptions of racism inJacksonville since 1985. In 2004, the difference in per-ceptions of racism in the community were the largestsince the survey began (a 27 point gap, with 43 percentof white respondents agreeing that racism was a prob-lem in Jacksonville, compared to 70 percent of blackrespondents). Perceptions of racism among blackrespondents declined from a high of 78 percent in 1994to 59 percent in 1999, before rising to 70 percent in2004. With the exception of a spike in 2001, however,white responses have been generally declining since apeak of 67 percent in 1992.

Since the survey (conducted by American PublicDialogue) began, the community perception of racismhas risen and fallen, with white and black perceptionsmoving in parallel lines (though never meeting). In 2002,however, the trend lines began diverging, suggestingthat the task of building a community consensus arounda shared understanding of the existence and extent ofracial discrimination and racial disparities is both moredifficult and more necessary than it has been in the last20 years.

In focus groups, one prevailing theme among white par-ticipants was to blame the media for exaggerations andfalsehoods, insisting that racial disparities in the standardof living were myths and that whites were more likely tobe victims of racial discrimination than blacks. Theseperceptions were characterized by one participant’sstatement: “It’s an uphill battle to be a white male in theU.S.” Age appeared to influence perceptions, however.As one younger white participant observed, “We are notyet far enough removed from the days of segregation tothink that an entire population has had the opportunityto catch up.”

The Jacksonville University survey also found differencesin perceptions of race relations. Fifty-one percent ofwhite respondents felt race relations were “excellent” or“good,” compared to 23 percent of black respondents.This is a shift from an earlier 2000 Jacksonville Universitysurvey conducted during the controversy about thePresidential election, in which 63 percent of white and19 percent of black respondents rated race relations as“excellent” or “good.”

race relations in jacksonvilleSurvey Question: Overall, how would you rate race relations between whites and blacks in Jacksonville?

is racism a problem in jacksonville?(yes responses)

noteSurvey conducted by American Public Dialogue for the JCCI Qualityof Life Progress Report. The survey, conducted annually since 1985,was designed to provide a representative sampling of the Jacksonvillepopulation as a whole, and in 2004 included 328 white respondents,105 black respondents, and 32 other respondents. Because of the


limitations of sample size, the statistical reliability for the sub-population responses is considerably less accurate than the overallresponse rate.

It was with this concern in mind that Jacksonville University designed and completed its survey for this report, which included statistically reliable response rates for both black and white respon-dents. See description of the survey methodologies on page 31.

When asked, Do you have any close personal friendswho are a different race than you?, 14 percent of whiteand 29 percent of black respondents said “no”. Whenasked, Have you invited someone of a different race tovisit your home in the last month or so?, 41 percent ofwhite and 57 percent of black respondents said “no.”Age made a difference in the responses; young blackrespondents were significantly more likely to have afriend of a different race than older black respondents(80 percent “yes” v. 56 percent) and more likely to have invited someone of a different race to their home(54 percent “yes” v. 29 percent). Similarly, young whiterespondents more often invited over someone of a different race (72 percent “yes” v. 42 percent for olderwhite respondents).

Generational differences were also evident within thefocus groups. Older black participants discussed thecivil rights movement and their memories of living in thesegregated South. Many said that today’s youth take forgranted what advantages they have today compared towhat was available just 20 years ago. They argued thatthose who were not around to experience the upheavalof the civil rights movement could not grasp how deeplyrooted and prevalent racism is.

Some younger black participants, on the other hand,said that while discrimination is certainly still a problem,one must find a way to move beyond it in order forprogress to continue. Some said that discrimination ismore of an excuse than a real handicap to progress andpointed out that opportunities have expanded.

race relations in jacksonville comparedto united statesSurvey Question: In general, would you say that racerelations between whites and blacks in Jacksonville arebetter, about the same, or worse than they are in the restof the United States?

When comparing the respondents’ perceptions of race relations in Jacksonville to their perceptions of race relations in the United States, white respondents(49 percent) and black respondents (56 percent) thought they were about the same. However, generational differences appeared among both black and whiterespondents.

Younger (18-39) white respondents were more likely tothink race relations were worse in Jacksonville (18 per-cent compared to 12 percent of middle-aged [40-59] orolder [60+] white respondents). However, younger blackrespondents were more likely (25 percent) to think racerelations were better in Jacksonville than the rest of thecountry, compared to 14 percent of middle-aged and 23percent of older black respondents.

Older black and younger white respondents were equally likely to say that race relations were the same inJacksonville compared to the rest of the country (65 per-cent), while younger black respondents (57 percent)were aligned with older white respondents (56 percent).

10 • race relations

perceptions of racism and discriminationThe Beyond the Talk study concluded: “The wide rangeof perceptions among Jacksonville’s citizens about pastand current racial disparities impedes resolution of allproblems in race relations. Because people tend todraw conclusions and make decisions about currentsituations based on the filter of past experiences, people of different races may reach significantlydifferent conclusions about the same event.”

Survey responses consistently show different personalexperiences with racial discrimination and different perceptions about the extent to which racism and discrimination exist in the Jacksonville community.

unfair treatmentSurvey Question: Just your impression, are blacks in Jacksonville treated less fairly than whites in the following situations? (yes responses)

For this question, 68 percent of older black respondents(60 years or older) said they felt blacks were treated lessfairly in stores, compared to 84 percent of black respon-dents aged 40-59 and 83 percent of those 18-39. Forwhite respondents, 13 percent of the older populationthought blacks were treated less fairly in stores, compared to 26 percent of those aged 40-59 and 37 percent of those 18-39.

Similar results were obtained through the AmericanPublic Dialogue survey, in which 45 percent of blackrespondents reported personally experiencing discrimi-nation while shopping.

racism while shoppingSurvey Question: Thinking about your own possibleexperience with racism, do you believe that you havepersonally experienced racism during the past yearwhile shopping in Jacksonville?

When asked about their overall experiences with racialdiscrimination, 30 percent of black respondents felt thatthey had been discriminated against in the previousmonth. These results were consistent among the different age groups surveyed.

personal unfair treatmentSurvey Question: Can you think of an occasion in thelast month or so when you felt you were treated unfairlybecause you were black?

Black respondents were more likely to explain racial disparities in Jacksonville as the effect of racial discrimination.

explanation for racial disparitiesSurvey Question: On the average, black people haveworse jobs, income, and housing than white people. Doyou think this is mostly due to discrimination againstblacks, or is it mostly due to something else?

Age affected responses to this question. Sixty percentof older black respondents blamed discrimination forracial disparities in Jacksonville, compared to 55 percentof those 40-59 and 43 percent of those 18-39. Amongwhite responders, 15 percent of those over 60, 8 percentof those aged 40-59, and 19 percent of those 18-39 con-sidered racial discrimination to be the primary cause ofdisparities.


Some white respondents also perceived themselves asvictims of racial discrimination. This type of incident is sometimes referred to as “reverse discrimination,”because it occurs contrary to the patterns of historicaldiscrimination in this country (see the 1978 BakkeSupreme Court case). When asked about their personalexperiences with discrimination, over one-third of whiterespondents felt they had experienced discrimination.

reverse discriminationSurvey Question: Do you feel you have ever been the victim of reverse discrimination?

Answers varied by the age of the respondent. While thisquestion allowed the respondent to refer to a lifetime ofexperience (and is not parallel to the similar questionasked of black respondents, which asked about discrimi-nation experienced within the prior month), youngerrespondents were more likely to report experiencing discrimination than older respondents.

reverse discrimination by age groupSurvey Question: Do you feel you have ever been the vic-tim of reverse discrimination? (white respondents)

In focus groups, some white respondents complained of a “system geared against whites.” In another focusgroup, white participants shared the view that “whitesare more likely to be victims of discrimination thanblacks” and that Jacksonville was experiencing a “growing problem of reverse discrimination.”

Black and white respondents held disparate perceptionsof the extent of discrimination in Jacksonville, who experiences discrimination, and the influence of racialdiscrimination on the quality of life of Jacksonville’s residents. These differences in perceptions about theproblems were reflected in disparate views about government’s role in addressing racial problems.

When asked about the role government should play inaddressing racial disparities, 78 percent of black respon-dents felt that the government should play a “majorrole,” compared to 25 percent of white respondents. By contrast, 26 percent of white respondents said gov-ernment should play no role, compared to 4 percent of black respondents.

role of governmentSurvey Question: How much of a role, if any, do youthink the government should have in trying to improvethe social and economic position of blacks in this country—a major role, a minor role, or no role at all?

However, white respondents who felt discrimination wasa primary cause of racial disparities supported a stronggovernment role in addressing the problems (44 percentsaid a major role and 44 percent a minor role). Similarly,black respondents who pointed to discrimination as theprimary cause of racial disparities favored governmentintervention, with 88 percent replying that governmentshould play a major role and 9 percent a minor role.

This is consistent with the findings of the Beyond theTalk study, which stated: “National studies report thatdiffering perceptions about discrimination made signifi-cant differences in opinions about public policy towardrace.” The study concluded that the wide range in per-ceptions about discrimination impeded the community’sefforts to resolve problems in race relations.


educationIn education, public school student performance for all groups has improved, but because white student performance has generally increased faster, the achievement gap between white and black students has widened. The same is true for college continua-tion rates as well. Since 1990, educational attainmenthas similarly improved, though the disparities remain.

Duval County's public schools are becoming increasinglydiverse. In 2003, the public school student populationwas 47 percent white, 43 percent black, and 5 percentHispanic. However, because one out of every five stu-dents in Jacksonville does not attend public school, thetotal school-age population is somewhat less diverse,with 54 percent of the students being white, 36 percentblack, and 5 percent Hispanic. In 2003, 79.7 percent ofthe students attended public school and 18.6 percentattended private school. The private school student population was 82 percent white, 10 percent black, and 8 percent Hispanic.

duval county public school populationK-12 student demographics

Public school student demographics differ from teacherdemographics. The public schools have seen anincrease in black, Hispanic, and Asian teachers from1998 to 2003, and the proportions represent the diversi-ty of the community at large. However, student diversityis increasing faster than teacher diversity.

duval county public school populationPre-K-12 teacher demographics

In other measures of student demographics, in 2002-03,61 percent of students taking AP or Honors classes inthe Duval County Public Schools were white, 26 percentblack, 6 percent Asian, and 4 percent Hispanic. A higherpercentage of black and Hispanic students are partici-pating in Gifted programs than in previous years, though the numbers remain disproportionate to the total student population. In 2002-03, 69 percent of gifted students were white, 17 percent black, 6 percentAsian, and 4 percent Hispanic.

In the 2004-05 school year, 57.2 percent of all studentsattended racially-balanced (formerly “desegregated”)schools, down from a high of 63.7 percent in 1998-99.In 2004-05, 64.6 percent of “non-black” students (including white, Asian, and Hispanic students) attendedracially-balanced schools, compared to 47.5 percent ofblack students.

students in racially-balanced schoolsDuval County Public Schools

noteIn 1990, the Jacksonville Branch of the NAACP and the Duval CountySchool Board entered into a Desegregation Stipulation and Agreementthat defined “desegregated schools” as those in which the student bodyis at least 20 percent black and at least 45 percent white. In 1999, thefederal district court declared the Duval County Public Schools “uni-tary,” indicating the end of court-ordered desegregation. The decisionwas upheld on appeal in 2001.


Racial disparities appear in student performance withinthe public education system. Over the past seven years,progress in student achievement has occurred across theboard, with some of the largest gains for black youth inelementary school reading and high school math scores.

In all areas, however, the percentage of Asian studentsscoring at least a 3 on the Florida ComprehensiveAssessment Test (FCAT) tends to track with or betterthan white students, with Hispanic student percentagesfalling between white and black student percentages.Because white student gains outpaced black studentgains, the gap in outcomes has become larger.

public school student performancePercent scoring at level 3 or above on the FCAT

Elementary school reading scores

Elementary school math scores

Middle school reading scores

Middle school math scores

High school math scores


High school reading scores

Perceptions of the ability of children to succeed in the educational system differ by race. Black surveyrespondents were more pessimistic about the chancesfor success of black children.

chance for a good educationSurvey Question: In general, do you think that blackchildren have as good a chance as white children inJacksonville to get a good education, or don't you thinkthey have as good a chance?

Racial disparities in education outcomes were also evident in high school graduation rates, dropout rates,and college continuation rates. Youth who do not com-plete high school have a difficult time finding employ-ment or advancing beyond lower-paying jobs. Collegetraining is often necessary for higher-wage employment.Racial disparities in high school completion or collegeentrance can result in long-term economic disparities.

In the Duval County Public Schools, high school gradua-tion rates for all students improved in 2003.

duval county public school performanceHigh school graduation rate

In 2003-04, dropout rates increased in all categories.Because of the increases, white and black dropout rateswere nearly equal in 2003-04.

duval county public school performanceHigh school dropout rate

In focus groups, black participants felt that collegeemphasis was lacking in predominantly black highschools. One reported, “I never saw a guidance coun-selor the whole time I was at Raines.” Another blackfemale reported of her high school experience: “Myguidance counselor didn’t have SAT registration forms orknow where or when it was.” However, both black andwhite focus group participants agreed that the responsi-bility for educating students for the workforce was ajoint venture between the schools and parents.

From 1997-98 to 2001-02, a higher percentage of students have been attending college. The fastestgrowth rate in those going on to college (college continuation rates) has been among Hispanic students,where the rates have increased by 16.3 points over the five-year period. White college continuation ratesincreased by 6.7 points, black college continuation ratesby 4.4 points, and Asian college continuation rates by3.0 points.

higher education in jacksonvilleCollege continuation rate

Perceptions about racial differences in college accept-ance vary significantly in Jacksonville. White respon-dents believed (86 percent) that black students had the same or better chance of being accepted to collegeas white students. The majority of black respondents (66 percent) believed that white students had a betterchance to get accepted to college. Several focus groups(black and white) reported that education was the key to success.


chances for collegeSurvey Question: If two equally qualified students, onewhite and one black, applied to a major college or uni-versity in the United States, who do you think wouldhave the better chance of being accepted to the college,the white student, the black student, or would they havethe same chance?

The Beyond the Talk study found that “the pervasiveeffects of disparities in education and income mutuallyreinforce one another and deepen all other disparities.”The report concluded that “Jacksonville’s failure to eliminate racial disparities in educational expectations,placements, and achievement has lifelong negative consequences for many children and inhibits resolvingracial tensions. Eliminating disparities in school perform-ance is critical to ensuring a high quality of life for allJacksonville citizens.”

College readiness can be measured by the percentageof Duval County public high school graduates attendingFlorida public colleges and universities who pass mathand reading college placement tests. These measuresshow that racial disparities in college readiness havebeen improving in reading scores, but worsening in math preparation.

college readinessReading

college readinessMath

Across racial and ethnic groups in Jacksonville over thepast decade, more adults have obtained high schooldiplomas, and more adults have received collegedegrees. The rate of growth in high school diplomasfrom 1980 to 2000 was highest among black adults,where the rates advanced by nearly 26 points in 20years. In college degrees, however, the fastest growthwas among white adults, where the rates advanced by4.3 points in 10 years from 1990 to 2000.

educational attainment in jacksonvilleAdults over 25 with high school diplomas

educational attainment in jacksonvilleAdults over 25 with bachelor’s degrees or higher

higher education in jacksonvilleCollege teachers, 2000

higher education student populationFall 2003 enrollment


employment and incomeIn employment and income, the black middle class hasincreased, but half of all black families live below 175percent of the federal poverty line ($32,988 for a fam-ily of four in 2004). Black families received publicassistance at five times the rate of white families.Business leadership and ownership in Jacksonvilleremained predominantly white, as only 3.6 percent of local CEOs were black in 2000.

The Beyond the Talk study concluded that “race-basedeconomic disparities create divisions in Jacksonvillewhich inhibit positive race relations.” It found that theimpacts of economic disparities were felt in all otherareas of disparity the study explored. The study contin-ued: “The effects of poverty, as with poor education,worsen over time. Wealth is traditionally accumulatedover generations, and passed down to children andgrandchildren. Historical racial inequities may be felt for several generations.”

Across the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area(MSA), which includes Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. JohnsCounties, Census data reveals positive economic growthfrom 1990 to 2000 across all racial lines. The largestgains were in the “Affluent” category (more than 350percent of the poverty line), with gains between four and six points across the board. The largest shift was in black households moving out of poverty, 10 points.However, in 2000, half of all black families were poor(with incomes less than 175 percent of the poverty line).

noteIncome classes defined by a Lewis Mumford Center analysis of 2000U.S. Census data. Categories are determined by the relationship to theofficial federal poverty line. “Poor” includes family income less than175 percent of the poverty line ($22,500 in 1990 and $30,000 in 2000for a family of four). “Middle Income” represents 175 to 350 percent ofthe poverty line ($22,501 to $44,999 in 1990 and $30,001 to $59,999 in2000 for a family of four); and “Affluent” more than 350 percent of thepoverty line ($45,000 in 1990 and $60,000 in 2000 for a family offour).

income classes, jacksonville msaPoor (less than 175 percent of poverty line)

income classes, jacksonville msaMiddle income (between 175 and 350 percent of poverty line)

income classes, jacksonville msaAffluent (more than 350 percent of poverty line)

The income growth also means that the size of the middle class is roughly equivalent among white, black,Hispanic, and Asian families, ranging from 32.4 to 35.4percent of the respective populations. Significant dis-parities still exist among those households in povertyand those that are affluent.

Other measures of poverty find similar disparities.Because Census information is only available every tenyears, a proxy measure for children in poverty has beenpublic-school student participation in free and reduced-price lunch programs, eligibility for which is based onhousehold income being less than 185 percent of federalpoverty levels. In 2003-04, 65 percent of black school-children were eligible for the program, compared to 26percent of white children, 54 percent of Hispanic chil-dren, and 31 percent of Asian children. This marks anincrease from 2002-03, when 60 percent of black stu-dents, 24 percent of white students, 51 percent ofHispanic students, and 28 percent of Asian studentsqualified for the program.

Another way to examine poverty and need is througheligibility for public assistance. In 2004, the rate of whiterecipients of Food Stamps per 1,000 was half that of theHispanic rate and one-fifth the rate in the black popula-tion. Similar rates were found among recipients of cashassistance through the Temporary Assistance to NeedyFamilies (TANF) program.


public assistance in 2004Rates per 1,000 population

Survey responses demonstrate how this income disparityaffects day-to-day living. One-third of black respondents(32 percent) reported not having enough money to buyclothing their family needed in the past year, comparedto 18 percent of white respondents. When asked abouttheir ability to buy food that the family needed, 20 per-cent of black respondents (and 8 percent of whiterespondents) reported not having enough money in the past year to meet this basic need.

Perceptions of fairness in employment vary in Jackson-ville. White respondents (79 percent) tended to thinkthe labor market was fair (or favored black jobseekers);black respondents, on the other hand, thought theJacksonville labor market was less fair (74 percent).

chances for employmentSurvey Question: In general, do you think that blackpeople have as good a chance as white people inJacksonville to get any kind of job for which they are qualified, or don't you think they have as good a chance?

Responses to the survey question varied among whiterespondents according to their level of education.White high school graduates were more likely (90 per-cent) to say black chances for employment were as goodor better than white chances, compared to 72 percent of white college graduates. Black respondents differedaccording to the length of time they had been inJacksonville; those who had been here over 10 yearswere more likely (79 percent) to say black applicants hada poorer chance, compared to 57 percent of blackrespondents who had moved to Jacksonville within thelast 10 years.

Of the white survey respondents who reported experi-encing racial discrimination (36 percent of the whiterespondents), 10 percent reported being discriminatedagainst while getting a job and 3 percent reported on-the-job racial discrimination.

Black respondents were more likely to say that blackemployees were treated less fairly than whites (70 per-cent to 9 percent for white respondents) and more likely to report personally experiencing racism on the job in the past year (34 percent to 8 percent of whiterespondents).

Both whites (94 percent) and blacks (93 percent) felt thatbusinesses should not be allowed to consider race asone of the factors in making hiring decisions.

In measures of business ownership and leadership, racialdisparities continue. In 2004, none of the 50 fastestgrowing private companies identified by The BusinessJournal of Jacksonville were headed by black leadership.

jacksonville business leadershipLeadership of 50 fastest-growing private companies,2004

In 2000, less than 4 percent of all chief executive officersin Jacksonville were black.

jacksonville business leadershipChief Executive Officers, 2000


Among the top minority-owned businesses in Jackson-ville, one-fourth were owned by black individuals, buttheir revenues made up only 5 percent of the total revenues among top minority-owned businesses.

minority business ownershipTop 36 racial-minority owned businesses, by race of owner, 2003

minority business ownershipRevenue of top 36 racial-minority owned businesses, by race of owner, 2003

By contrast, total revenues of these black-owned busi-nesses made up less than one-half of 1 percent of therevenues of the eight private companies in Jacksonvillewith the largest revenue gains in 2002 ($1,119,700,000),all of which had white ownership and leadership.

Total City contracts for the first quarter of fiscal year2004-05 (October-December 2004) amounted to$71,866,050, of which the new Jacksonville SmallEmerging Businesses (JSEB) program accounted for 11.5percent, or $8,249,177. Of those receiving contractsthrough JSEB, racial-minority owned businesses account-ed for just over half of that dollar amount ($4,203,642),which was 5.8 percent of the City contract total.

jacksonville city contractsTotal amount and percent of contracts going to racial-minority owned businesses through the JacksonvilleSmall Emerging Businesses Program, first quarter2004-05

Minority-owned businesses can also receive contractsfrom state, federal, and private entities.


neighborhoods and housingJacksonville neighborhoods have been desegregating.The community is now the second-least segregatedmajor city in the United States. However, the disparity in homeownership has grown, with a lower rate ofblack families owning their own home, and three outof ten black homeowners using subprime lending tofinance their home purchase.

From 1980 to 2000, measures of racial segregation inJacksonville improved significantly. In 2000, when com-pared to other American cities with at least 500,000population and a population at least 10 percent black,Jacksonville ranked as the second-least segregated city,behind only Nashville.

jacksonville residential segregationPercent of white families who would have to move tomake each neighborhood reflect the diversity of the community as a whole

The Dissimilarity Index, which measures the percent ofwhite residents who would have to move in order for thepopulation in each neighborhood to resemble the totalpopulation of the city, has fallen from 72 percent in 1980to 50 percent in 2000.

Measures of segregation are lower for Asian andHispanic residents. In 2000, 22 percent of white familieswould have to move to make each neighborhood reflectthe city’s makeup with regards to Hispanic families, and30 percent would have to move to do the same for theAsian population.

jacksonville residential segregationDissimilarity index

However, even with increased residential movement,Jacksonville retained a significant proportion of neigh-borhoods that were racially identifiable as “white” or“black,” with 75 to 100 percent of the residents in a2000 Census Tract identified as being of the same race.

jacksonville residential segregationCensus tract demographics, 2000

When surveyed, black and white respondents had different perceptions about the ability of black people to obtain the housing that they want in Jacksonville.

fairness in housingSurvey Question: In general, do you think that black people have as good a chance as white people in Jacksonville to get any housing they can afford, or don't you think they have as good a chance?

In a separate survey, 17 percent of black respondentsreported personally experiencing racism during the previous year while renting or buying housing inJacksonville. (American Public Dialogue, 2004)


From 1980 to 2000, white homeownership rates rosefrom 70.5 to 73.3 percent, while Hispanic homeowner-ship rates fell from 59.4 to 52.7 percent and black home-ownership rates declined from 56.6 to 50.9 percent.

However, homeownership rates in Jacksonville among allracial and ethnic groups are higher than in the UnitedStates as a whole. Nationally in 2000, 72.4 percent ofwhite households, 46.3 percent of black households, and45.7 percent of Hispanic households were homeowners.

jacksonville homeownership rates1980-2000

A primary factor in homeownership is obtaining financ-ing to purchase the home. In 2003, black applicants forconventional mortgages were nearly three times as likelyto be denied financing as white applicants. Hispanicapplicants were denied financing at nearly double therate of white applicants.

When broken down by applicant income levels, the dis-parities continue within similar income brackets. Upper-income black applicants (making over $66,000 per year)were more than three times as likely to be denied a con-ventional mortgage as their white peers. These dispari-ties worsened from 2002 to 2003.

conventional mortgage denial ratesJacksonville MSA, 2003

One option for those unable to obtain conventionalmortgage financing is to turn to a subprime loan.According to Consumer Action, a subprime loan is theextension of credit to a person with a damaged credithistory who is considered to be a high-risk borrower.Subprime loans have higher—sometimes much higher—than average interest rates. Subprime lenders reducetheir risk in making loans by charging borrowers a higherinterest rate and sometimes additional fees. While notall subprime loans represent predatory lending, nearly all predatory lending involves subprime loans.

In the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA),black families were four times as likely to refinance ahome using subprime loans and five times as likely topurchase a home using subprime loans as white families.Across the country in 2002, Jacksonville had the highestconcentration of subprime purchase loans in minorityneighborhoods (defined as those Census Tracts in which80 to 100 percent of the population is minority), with59.5 percent of loans in these neighborhoods being sub-prime loans. In other words, in Jacksonville’s minorityneighborhoods, six out of ten homes are purchasedthrough subprime loans, the highest rate in the country.

subprime loan ratesJacksonville MSA, 2002

The disparity between minority and non-minority neigh-borhoods in using subprime loans for refinancing is alsohigh. Of all home refinancing in minority neighbor-hoods, 59.5 percent is done through subprime lending,compared to 5.8 percent in white neighborhoods. Thedisparity between these two rates ranks as the third-highest in the country, behind Fresno and Indianapolis.

Among housing-related occupations, real estate brokersand agents were predominantly white, while the demo-graphics of loan counselors and officers reflected thepopulation diversity of the community.

noteAnalysis performed by ACORN (the Association of CommunityOrganizations for Reform Now). Income categories are as follows:Low-income (below 50% Median, less than $27,450); Moderate-income(50-79% Median, $27,450 - $43,920); Middle-income (80-119% Median,$43,920-$65,880); and Upper-income (Above 120% Median, more than$65,880).


housing related occupationsReal estate brokers and agents, 2000

housing related occupationsLoan counselors and officers, 2000

Jacksonville residents feel differently about the neigh-borhoods they live in. In response to the AmericanPublic Dialogue survey, white respondents consistentlyresponded that they felt safe in their neighborhoods athigher rates than black respondents.

perceptions of neighborhood safetySurvey Question: Do you feel safe walking alone in yourneighborhood at night?

Other measures of neighborhood differences showincome and homeownership disparities. The LewisMumford Center used the U.S. Census to calculate theneighborhood characteristics experienced by membersof different racial and ethnic groups in Jacksonville.They found that in 2000, the average white family inJacksonville lives in a neighborhood where the medianhousehold income is $45,569. The average black familylives in a neighborhood where the median householdincome is $33,154.

median neighborhood household incomeThe average family, by race, lives in a neighborhoodwith the following average income

The average black family lives in a neighborhood wherenearly 10 percent of the homes are vacant and 58.7 per-cent of the families are homeowners (the rest beingrental housing), and nearly 20 percent of the populationlives below the official poverty line. These indicators allshow improvement from 1990, but remain worse thanthe neighborhood experience of the average white orHispanic family.

percent vacant housingThe average family, by race, lives in a neighborhoodwith this amount of vacant housing

percent below poverty lineThe average family, by race, lives in a neighborhoodwith this much poverty

percent homeownershipThe average family, by race, lives in a neighborhoodwith this percentage of homeowners


health access and outcomesIn health outcomes, racial disparities in infant mortality,prostate cancer deaths, and deaths due to diabetes haveincreased. The mortality rates for heart disease, stroke,and breast cancer have declined, with the racial dispari-ties decreasing. Black families reported lower rates ofhealth insurance coverage and lower rates of employer-provided coverage.

When surveyed about perceptions of health care access,the majority of white respondents (88 percent) said thatblacks have as good or better access to health care aswhites. The majority of black respondents (51 percent)disagreed.

health care accessSurvey Question: In general, do you think that blackpeople have as good a chance as white people inJacksonville to get any health care they can afford, or don't you think they have as good a chance?

When asked about their perceptions of the health careavailable in Jacksonville in the American Public Dialoguesurvey, black respondents rated the medical systemlower than white respondents.

health care qualitySurvey Question: In your opinion is the health and medical care available in Jacksonville excellent, good,fair, or poor? (“excellent” or “good” responses shown)

The majority of black survey respondents felt they weretreated less fairly in getting health care.

health care treatmentSurvey Question: Just your impression, are blacks inJacksonville treated less fairly than whites in gettinghealth care from doctors and hospitals?

Fewer black respondents reported having health insur-ance coverage in the American Public Dialogue survey.

people who lack health insuranceSurvey Question: Are you currently covered by any typeof health insurance such as coverage through youremployer, Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance?(“no” responses)

White respondents more often had employer-providedhealth insurance coverage.

types of health insurance coverageSurvey Question: Are you currently covered by any of thefollowing types of health insurance?

More black respondents had trouble paying for healthcare in the past year.

paying for health careSurvey Question: During the past year, have you alwayshad enough money to pay for medical or health care?


Health outcomes in Jacksonville demonstrate thataddressing race-based disparities is a life-or-death situa-tion. Infant mortality rates measure the number ofbabies that die before reaching their first birthday per1,000 infants in the population. In Jacksonville, blackchildren die at rates more than twice as high as whiteinfants. The total infant mortality rate for Florida is 7.5per 1,000, and for the United States is 6.3 per 1,000.

infant mortality ratesInfant deaths per 1,000 births

Infant mortality may be affected by a number of factors.A higher percentage of black mothers had less than ahigh school education, which research confirms affectshealth outcomes. A higher rate of black infants wereborn weighing less than 2,500 grams (about 5.5 pounds),putting them at higher risk. And black infants weremore likely to be born to teenage mothers, anotherhealth risk factor.

factors affecting infant health outcomes2003

For hospital pregnancies, Hispanic mothers were leastlikely to be covered by some form of insurance (includ-ing both private insurance and Medicaid/ Medicare).

hospital pregnanciesNot covered by insurance, 2003

health related occupationsPhysicians and surgeons, 2000

health related occupationsRegistered nurses, 2000

health related occupationsPhysician assistants, 2000

health related occupationsNursing, psychiatric, and home health aides, 2000


The age-adjusted death rate is a tool used by healthresearchers to examine overall mortality rates within apopulation while controlling for age distribution. Whileeveryone dies, a lower death rate suggests a longer life expectancy. The 2001-03 three-year average age-adjusted death rate in Jacksonville for whites was 926.3,compared to 1,126.0 for blacks. In other words, blackindividuals were more likely to die during this time period than whites were.

Racial disparities also continue in specific causes ofdeath. The age-adjusted mortality rates for heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer are declining, and the racial disparities are decreasing. However, for bothprostrate cancer and diabetes, both the incidences andthe racial disparities are increasing.

deaths due to heart diseaseAge-adjusted rates per 1,000 population

deaths due to strokeAge-adjusted rates per 1,000 population

deaths due to diabetesAge-adjusted rates per 1,000 population

deaths due to breast cancerAge-adjusted rates per 1,000 population

deaths due to prostate cancerAge-adjusted rates per 1,000 population


justice and the legal systemRacial disproportions in arrests and incarcerations contin-ued. Eighty-six percent of black respondents thought“racial profiling” was widespread. Black juvenilearrestees were handled by the justice system or commit-ted for delinquency at higher rates than whites, whilewhite juvenile arrestees were placed on probation orentered diversionary programs at higher rates.

While both black (86 percent) and white (96 percent) survey respondents report being satisfied with theeffectiveness of public-safety services provided by theCity of Jacksonville, trust in the fairness of the legal system differs by race.

satisfaction with public-safety servicesSurvey Question: As you think about the effectiveness of public services provided by the City of Jacksonville,how satisfied are you with public safety services such as fire, rescue, and police?

fair treatment by policeSurvey Question: Just your impression, are blacks inJacksonville treated less fairly than whites in dealingwith the police? (“yes” answers)

Perceptions of police fairness differed among whiterespondents by age, as 42 percent of those over 60thought blacks were treated less fairly, compared to 57 percent of those 18 to 39. White responses also differed by the amount of education they had received,with 41 percent of high school graduates thinking thepolice treated blacks less fairly, compared to 60 percentof those with college degrees.

Black responses to this survey question differed by education level as well, with 89 percent of high schoolgraduates thinking that the police treated blacks lessfairly, compared to 95 percent of those with collegedegrees.

law and justice related occupationsLawyers, 2000

When asked about the chances of receiving fair treat-ment in court, however, black respondents rated itslightly better than the perceptions of unfair treatmentby the police. Black respondents who had moved toJacksonville within the last 10 years were more likely toperceive the court system as unfair than blacks who hadlived in Jacksonville for longer than 10 years.

fair treatment in courtSurvey Question: In general, do you think that blackpeople have as good a chance as white people inJacksonville to get fair treatment by the courts, or don't you think they have as good a chance?

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has both officers andofficials that in general reflect the demographics of thecommunity. In the court system, however, both lawyersand judges are disproportionately white; corrections officers, on the other hand, are disproportionately black.

law and justice related occupationsJacksonville Sheriff’s Office sworn officers, 2003


law and justice related occupationsCorrections officers, 2000

law and justice related occupationsJudges, 2004

When asked about racial profiling, 37 percent of whitesthought the practice was widespread. These responsesvaried by age; younger white respondents were morelikely (57 percent) to believe racial profiling existed,compared to 35 percent of those over 60.

Black respondents felt that they personally had beenstopped because of their race at higher rates (28 per-cent) than white respondents (5 percent). Sixteen per-cent of older blacks felt they had been racially profiled,compared to 37 percent of younger blacks age 18 to 39.

racial profilingSurvey Question: In some areas, it has been reportedthat police officers stop motorists of certain racial groups because the officers believe that these groups are more likely than others to commit certain types ofcrimes. Do you believe that this practice, known as“racial profiling,” is widespread or not in Jacksonville?(“yes” answers)

Disparities in the justice system are often discussed interms of disproportionate impacts, that is, the outcomescompared to the percentage of the population.

population demographicsProportion of the population by category

The pattern of traffic citations shows a consistent dispro-portionate number of citations given to black motorists.

traffic citationsPercent of all citations issued

Black citizens of Jacksonville are arrested at dispropor-tionate rates. In 2003, blacks accounted for 64 percentof juvenile arrests; 56 percent of adult arrests.

jacksonville sheriff’s office arrests2003

Among adults, blacks were incarcerated at rates dispro-portionate to their population, and this was especiallytrue in drug-related incarcerations.

incarcerations in jacksonville2003


Black juvenile arrestees were more likely to be handledjudicially, tried as adults, or committed for delinquency.White arrestees were more likely to be placed on proba-tion or enter a diversionary program.

juvenile justice referral outcomesDuval County, 2002-03


political process and civic engagementIn politics and civic engagement, 2004 saw a surge inblack voter registration. In the 2004 elections, only 3 percent of whites and 4 percent of blacks surveyedreported encountering difficulty in voting. In anothersurvey, more black respondents said they could influ-ence local government decision-making than whiterespondents.

Civic engagement through the political process can offer an opportunity to address racial disparities throughpublic policy. While black respondents were more pessimistic about their ability to access elected officials,blacks consistently outpolled whites in their self-per-ceived abilities to influence local government.

access to public officialsSurvey Question: In general, do you think that blackpeople have as good a chance as white people inJacksonville to get access to elected officials, or don't you think they have as good a chance?

perception of influenceSurvey Question: As a citizen of Jacksonville, howwould you describe your ability to influence local government decision making? Would you say that you have great influence, moderate influence, a little influence, or no influence at all? (“great” or “moderate” influence shown)

perception of electabilitySurvey Question: In general, do you think that a qualified black candidate has as good a chance as aqualified white candidate to get elected in Jacksonville,or don't you think they have as good a chance?

White survey respondents were more likely (83 percent)to say that Jacksonville’s election process produces a fair outcome than were black respondents (47 percent).However, when asked specifically about the 2004Presidential election, only 3 percent of whites and 4 per-cent of blacks reported encountering difficulty in voting.

fairness in votingSurvey Question: How confident are you that the electionprocess in Jacksonville produces a fair outcome?

In 2004, a higher percentage of black residents wereregistered to vote than either whites or Hispanics.

voter registration2000-2004

voter turnoutPercentage turnout of registered voters, 2004


Elected officials in Jacksonville tend to reflect the demo-graphics of the community, in terms of black and whiteresidents, in part resulting from designated minority-access districts. However, Jacksonville does not haveany Hispanic or Asian elected officials. Of the five county-wide elected officials (Mayor, Sheriff, PropertyAppraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Tax Collector), all were white in 2005.

jacksonville elected officials2005

When asked about the highest local political office, survey respondents differed on how they would react to a black candidate for mayor.

Black respondents (28 percent) stated they were morelikely to vote for a black candidate for mayor, whilewhite respondents (92 percent) said race did not play a role in their decision.

Older black respondents (40 percent) were more likely toprefer a black candidate for mayor, while younger blackrespondents (72 percent) were more likely to say thatrace did not matter.

willingness to vote for a black mayorSurvey Question: If a qualified candidate for mayorwere black, would you be more likely to vote for that can-didate because they were black, less likely to vote for thatcandidate because they were black, or would race notplay a role in your decision?

White survey respondents tended to rate locally-electedleadership higher than black respondents. In theAmerican Public Dialogue survey, 74 percent of whiterespondents said that local government elected leader-ship was “excellent” or “good,” compared to 35 percentof black respondents.

perception of local governmentSurvey Question: We would like you to turn your atten-tion to the government of Jacksonville. In your opinion,is the quality of leadership in our local governmentexcellent, good, fair, or poor? (“excellent” or “good”responses shown)


survey methodologyJacksonville University, 2004

Data Collection Period: October 15 - November 23, 2004

Sample: List Based RDD provided by Survey Sampling International

Completed Interviews: Whites 514, Blacks 400

Margin of Error: +/- 5%

Cooperation Rate: 60% (2,657 telephone numbers, 1,512 working numbers with eligible respondents, 914completed interviews)

American Public Dialogue, 2004

Survey Type: Telephone survey, monitored

Survey Dates: September 14-16 and 21-22, 2004. Data collected between 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm

List Origin: Geographically stratified telephone listings of residents in Duval County, Florida

Controls: Data collection and tabulation performed by American Public Dialogue staff on a client-blind basis

Responses: 465 completed responses. Whites 328, Blacks 105, Hispanic 5, Asian 3, Other 13, Refused 11 (Calls attempted: 4972; Contacts made: 1493; Refusals: 1028)

Standard Deviation: +/- 4.9%

Note: Statistical reliability for the cross-tabulations in this survey is considerably less accurate than the overall. In addition, please assume that any cross-tabulation in which the cell size (the "Forms" column) is less than n=50, is fairly indistinct and should not be relied upon for major or critical assumptions.

Focus Group Methodology

Focus group participants were randomly selected from the group of survey respondents who replied "yes" to beingvictims of discrimination or reverse discrimination. The survey respondents were offered a $50 honorarium for partici-pating in the focus group that would last approximately two hours. There were eleven focus groups, eight with blackparticipants, three with white participants.

Focus groups were held in a conference room on the Jacksonville University campus. Focus groups were segregatedby race to facilitate frank and honest discussions. Focus groups ranged in size from three to eight participants. Each focus group also included two moderators and two students from Edward Waters College. The moderators were responsible for leading the discussion and encouraging input. They used the race relations questionnaire as a guide for the discussions. The students were responsible for taking notes and recording responses for the race relations report.


about jcci


Jacksonville Community Council Inc. (JCCI) was createdin 1975 with the goal of improving the quality of life inJacksonville through informed citizen participation inpublic affairs. JCCI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, broad-based civic organization. It involves citizens in commu-nity issues through open dialogue, impartial research,consensus building, and leadership development.

Each year, JCCI produces an annual report on the quality of life in Jacksonville. It also selects issues for in-depth community study. Diverse study committeesmeet weekly for about six months, gaining a thoroughunderstanding of the problem and reaching consensuson key findings as well as recommended solutions.Following completion of the study and publication of a report, an advocacy task force of citizens takes thereport to the community and seeks to place the issueson the community agenda. The goal is to seek furtherdeliberation, increased public awareness, and finally,action by appropriate officials.

In addition to its annual studies and the Quality of LifeProgress Report, JCCI plans and coordinates services for United Way of Northeast Florida and the HumanServices Council (HSC), a coalition of local funders ofhuman services. JCCI Forward, an initiative that seeks to involve community-minded people with importantissues facing the community, provides the venue for up-and-coming leadership to be involved, engaged, andconnected with government and business leaders. Uponrequest, JCCI provides a variety of planning, research,consultation, and facilitation services under contract.

JCCI receives funding from United Way of NortheastFlorida, the City of Jacksonville, the Duval County PublicSchools, Jacksonville Children’s Commission, corpora-tions, and individual members. JCCI membership isopen to all interested in building a better community.

More information about JCCI and its projects is availableat www.jcci.org.

Gerald Weedon, President

Mary Ellen Smith,President-Elect Helen Jackson,

Secretary-TreasurerJudge Henry Adams

Christine ArabRon AutreyDave Balz

William H. Bishop IIIDavid Boree

Michael BoylanJoy BurgessJohn Cobb

Randy Evans

Ronnie FergusonDana Ferrell

David M. FosterAllan T. GeigerEric HolshouserEarl Johnson, Jr.William Kwapil

Wally LeeTony MahfoudCarla MarlierMarsha OliverBryant Rollins

Susan SiegmundGlenda Washington

Richard WeberMary Lou Zievis

J.J. DanielJack H. ChambersYank D. Coble, Jr.Robert D. Davis

George W. CorrickHoward R. Greenstein

Jacquelyn D. BatesDavid M. Hicks

James C. RinamanKenneth W. EilermanJ. Shepard Bryan, Jr.

Juliette Woodruff MasonLucy D. Hadi

Charles P. Hayes, Jr.

Steve PajcicTracey I. Arpen, Jr.

Guy Marvin IIILuther Quarles IIIW.O. BirchfieldMichael J. KornWilliam E. Scheu

Afesa AdamsWilliam D. Brinton

Sherry BurnsSue K. ButtsEdgar Mathis

David M. FosterJohn Cobb

Charles R. Cramer,Executive Director

Ben Warner,Associate Director

Clanzenetta “Mickee”Brown

Chandra Echols

Earlene HostutlerLaura Lane

Anne-Marie LogrippoCheryl MurphyScott Sanborn

Michelle SimkuletLashun Stephens

board of directors past presidents

jcci staff

2434 atlantic boulevard • jacksonville, fl 32207904.396.3052 • www.jcci.org • [email protected]

WEAVER FAMILYFOUNDATION

IDA M. STEVENSFOUNDATION

2005 Race Relations Progress Report

Documents

Transcript of 2005 Race Relations Progress Report