Erie: The Worst City in America for African-Americans, 2017 – Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
Erie: The Worst City in America for African-Americans, 2017 – Lies,
Damn Lies, and Statistics
The presentation provides some insight into several topics that examine the
24/7 Wall St. report that declared Erie to be "the worst city in American for
African-Americans" in 2017. The essay examines the dynamics of institutional
racism and its role in the plight of African-Americans. This will be a general
discussion of the 24/7 Wall St. methods and typical report and the factors
included in the Worst Cities for Black Americans report on Erie. Likewise, an
analysis of important factors by ZIP code is presented. Finally, the presentations
compare Erie with two other regional cities that have also suffered industrial
declines: Youngstown, OH and Allentown, PA. In conclusion, recommendations
to remedy some of the persistent problems suffered by Erie and other such
cities are offered. – Margaret Smith, Ph.D.
Margaret Smith, Ph.D., is a social worker educator at Edinboro University
of Pennsylvania and Director of BSW Field Education for the undergraduate
social work program. Her research and scholarship focus on social justice
and issues of diversity with a special emphasis on the impact of trauma on
students and families in low socioeconomic communities and vulnerable
populations. She serves on the Rise Leadership Academy Charter School
Board as well as several university programs such as the Frederick Douglass
Institute and the Association of Faculty, Staff, and Students of Color.
