Newswise — As the U.S. Census Bureau releases figures from the 2010 census on a state-by-state basis, political scientist Pearl Ford Dowe of the University of Arkansas is available to discuss opinions of politics and social issues held by African-Americans, particularly in the South. Drawing on findings from the 2010 Blair-Rockefeller Poll, Dowe noted that many African-Americans in the South are “new Southerners,” descendents of African-Americans who left the South in the 1920s. They see the South as a place of opportunity, and a large percentage are highly educated with above-average incomes.
“The data reveals that although African-Americans in the South identify as Southern, their opinions and experiences are often consistent with African-Americans throughout the nation,” Dowe said.
Dowe is an assistant professor of political science in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas.
The Blair-Rockefeller Poll was created by political scientists Todd Shields, Pearl Ford Dowe, Angie Maxwell and Rafael Jimeno of the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society at the University of Arkansas. With over 3,400 respondents, the poll has a national scope as well as ample sampling of such traditionally under-polled groups as African-Americans and Latinos. Additionally, by addressing topics that have been little studied, the poll allows researchers to identify socio-cultural influences on political values throughout the country with an emphasis on the South. The Blair Center partners with the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute to produce the Blair-Rockefeller Poll.
The Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society was established in 2001 by an act of the U.S. Congress and named in honor of political scientist Diane Divers Blair, who taught for 30 years in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. The center studies the American South from a variety of angles to reveal the undercurrents of politics, history and culture that have shaped the region over time. For more information about the Blair Center, visit blaircenter.uark.edu or contact director Todd Shields at [email protected].
The University of Arkansas System established the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in 2005 with a grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust. Based on the legacy and ideas of former Arkansas Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller, this educational institute and conference center offers workshops, seminars, public lectures, conferences and special events. Program areas include agriculture and environment, arts and humanities, economic development, and policy and public affairs. For more information about the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, visit LiveTheLegacy.org or contact program director Susan Dumas at [email protected].
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