Changing Demography and Circumstances for Young Black Children in African and Caribbean Immigrant Families

The number of Black immigrants in the United States has more than doubled over the past 20 years, driven by increasing migration from Africa and sustained flows from the Caribbean. The U.S. Black child population is becoming increasingly diverse in the origins, languages, and other characteristics.

This report, part of MPI's Young Children of Black Immigrants research initiative, finds that the 813,000 children under the age of 10 who have Black immigrant parents generally fall in the middle of multiple well-being indicators, faring less well than Asian and white children but better than their native-born Black and Hispanic peers. The report examines their family structure, citizenship status, English proficiency, parental characteristics, poverty, housing, and access to social supports.

Among the key strengths of Black immigrant families are: high parental employment; high levels of parental education and English proficiency; significant enrollment in early education; and high rates of health insurance coverage.