# Digital divide’ hits rural Black Americans hardest Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-10-06 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Rural Black Americans face internet access gap in US Meta Description: Discover how the lack of internet access disproportionately affects Black populations in rural southern areas of the United States, amid efforts to bridge the URL: https://financedigest.com/digital-divide-hits-rural-black-americans-hardesthtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-10-06t152552z1lynxmpeh950tcrtroptp4health-coronavirus-usa-1736837705947-compressed.jpg) By Avi Asher-Schapiro and David Sherfinski LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The lack of internet access in the United States is particularly pronounced in rural, southern areas with higher Black populations, researchers said Wednesday amid a battle in Congress over how to close the digital divide. African Americans across rural counties in 10 mostly southern states were nearly twice as likely to report not having home internet access as white Americans in the same region, said a report by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. That dynamic amplifies existing “structural racism” that African American families face in rural areas across the southern states, said Dominique Harrison, the author of the report by the Washington, D.C.-based [think tank](https://www.financedigest.com/new-uk-pm-must-be-radical-to-stop-power-bill-catastrophe-think-tank.html "New UK PM must be radical to stop power bill catastrophe – think tank"). “Despite constant conversations about rural access to broadband in the U.S., most of it is focused on white rural residents,” Harrison told the [Thomson Reuters](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-keeps-outlook-but-wary-of-slowing-economy.html "Thomson Reuters keeps outlook, but wary of slowing economy") Foundation. This is [data that’s important](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-xy-data-in-pcb-assembly.html "The Importance of XY Data in PCB Assembly") for all policymakers to see,” she said. A $1 trillion-plus infrastructure package that passed the U.S. Senate but is currently stalled in the House would steer $65 billion to expanding broadband access. If passed, the bill would represent “the biggest broadband [investment in our history to close](https://www.financedigest.com/closing-the-sustainable-investment-gap.html "Closing the sustainable investment gap") the digital divide,” U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado said in an emailed statement. The [study examined the area known as the Black](https://www.financedigest.com/specialty-carbon-black-market-is-anticipated-to-grow-at-a-significant-rate-tmr-study.html "Specialty Carbon Black Market is anticipated to Grow at a Significant Rate | TMR Study") Rural South: 152 counties in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia where at least 35% of the residents are Black. In those regions, 38% percent of African Americans said they lack home internet access, [compared to 23%](https://www.financedigest.com/glastons-interim-report-1-january-31-march-2018-orders-received-grew-23-comparable-operating-profit-at-previous-years-level.html "Glaston’s Interim Report 1 January – 31 March 2018: Orders received grew 23%, comparable operating profit at previous year’s level") of white Americans in the same areas. Nationwide, 22% of African Americans and 18% of all Americans [say they have no internet at home](https://www.financedigest.com/survey-data-28-brits-say-brexit-sped-decision-buy-uk-holiday-home-year.html "Survey Data: 28% of Brits Say Brexit Has Sped Up Their Decision to Buy a UK Holiday Home This Year"), the report found. BLACK RESIDENTS SHUT OUT Both a lack of available high-speed internet [services and a lack of financial resources contribute to the striking gap](https://www.financedigest.com/managing-the-hidden-security-gap-in-financial-services-the-office-printer.html "MANAGING THE HIDDEN SECURITY GAP IN FINANCIAL SERVICES: THE OFFICE PRINTER"), the study said. Among residents in the regions Harrison studied, data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that more than a [quarter do not have the option to subscribe](https://www.financedigest.com/warner-bros-discovery-adds-2-million-subscribers-in-first-quarter.html "Warner Bros Discovery adds 2 million subscribers in first quarter") to high-speed broadband, with internet speeds of at least 25/3 megabits per second. Out of all Americans, that figure is 3.8%. Households with annual incomes of less than $35,000 account for nearly 61% of Black households in the areas Harrison focused on – compared to about 29% of households across the country, [according to the report](https://www.financedigest.com/ils-investment-returns-continue-to-outperform-according-to-aon-insurance-linked-securities-report.html "ILS investment returns continue to outperform, according to Aon insurance-linked securities report"). Before we can even consider affordability, Black residents are being shut out of access at shocking rates, and countless more with high [prices and insufficient federal support,”](https://www.financedigest.com/belgium-supports-energy-price-caps-suspending-trading-in-eu-power-crunch.html "Belgium supports energy price caps, suspending trading in EU power crunch") Harrison said. Internet service providers say it’s not profitable to build in those communities,” she said, adding that a mix of well-targeted subsidies, federal [investments and municipally-built broadband would help plug that gap](https://www.financedigest.com/the-investment-gap-for-women-entrepreneurs.html "The Investment Gap for Women Entrepreneurs"). [WAKE-UP CALL](https://www.financedigest.com/a-wake-up-call-for-merchants-this-festive-season.html "A wake-up call for merchants this festive season?") Among other items, the infrastructure package includes $42.5 billion for states and territories with the goal of targeting [communities that lack high-speed internet and about $14 billion to extend and revamp an FCC program that subsidizes access](https://www.financedigest.com/51-of-brits-support-teresa-may-and-would-grant-access-to-their-personal-communication-and-internet-browsing-history-as-part-of-the-snoopers-charter.html "51%* of Brits support Teresa May and would grant access to their personal communication and internet browsing history as part of the Snooper’s Charter ") for lower-income households. Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Center for [Technology Innovation](https://www.financedigest.com/innovative-apps-to-foster-the-growth-of-gene-editing-technologies-market.html "Innovative apps to foster the growth of Gene Editing Technologies Market") at the Brookings Institution, said the report should be a wake-up call for investments to be made not only in physical infrastructure, but also in educational programs and digital literacy initiatives. (Lack of broadband access) undermines everything, from those seeking jobs to those seeking public [benefits to healthcare](https://www.financedigest.com/employee-healthcare-benefits-how-they-can-benefit-your-organisation.html "Employee Healthcare Benefits: How they can Benefit your Organisation") access – it’s the whole nine yards,” Turner Lee said. (Reporting by Avi Asher-Schapiro @AASchapiro and David Sherfinski @dsherfinski, Editing by Jumana Farouky and Zoe Tabary. 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