Though few of us had ever predicted it would happen in our lifetimes, the United states now has an African American President---the son of a black Kenyan and a white Kansan.

In the United States and around the world, the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States was a landmark achievement.  Obama's success can be traced in part to his own exceptional qualities as a candidate, as well a tide of anti-Republican sentiment in the waning days of the Bush administration burdened with the War in Iraq and failing economy.

The 2008 Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Education Survey is a national survey of 750 African American households, conducted between September 16 and October 6, 2008.

As the Supreme Court term ended last Spring, two decisions held particular interest for the African American community. These decisions, regarding voting rights and employment, are analyzed in the two briefs that follow.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (Joint Center) has long been a leading authority on trends related to the opinions and voting preferences of the nation’s black electorate.  Two years ago, when the Joint Center launched its Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change, we undertook a major poll of African Americans’ opinions on the issue of climate change, in which we found that more than half of black voters believe it to be a serious problem that the nation must address.  Last year, our second comprehensive survey of African Americans on  climate change issues produced further evidence that a strong majority of African American voters want government action on climate change, and revealed additional details about what they are willing to do as individuals to help mitigate the problem.

In this report, we present the findings of surveys we conducted in four key states—Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri and South Carolina—with a focus on determining how African American views on climate change and other issues might affect the outcomes of the mid-term national elections this November.  While it is always difficult to predict election outcomes, the information from these surveys will no doubt contribute to the body of knowledge that political and policy analysts will use to understand how the climate change issue is viewed by a key electoral constituency, particularly at a time of tremendous economic upheaval in the nation. 
 

During the only televised debate of the major vice-presidential candidates in the 2004 election cycle, moderator Gwen Ifill asked Dick Cheney and John Edwards about the crisis among African-American women, and what they-if elected-would do about it.

The 2008 presidential campaign represts a historic occasion for both African Americans and black politics.

To better understand the issues and to inform its deliberation in formulating recommendations for policy, research, and practice, the Infant Mortality Commission asked experts in various fields related to maternal and child health and infant mortality to prepare background papers on specific issues. This background paper seeks to expand our understanding of the causes and effects of infant mortality within a broader global context. It offers comparisons between infant mortality in the U.S. and in other nations across the globe, providing a compassionate examination of the impact of social and economic inequalities on population health and infant mortality. The author concludes with policy recommendations to help mitigate or eliminate the inequalities that contribute to infant mortality. This analysis complements and reinforces the recommendations of other Courage to Love: Infant Mortality Commission background and framing papers on infant mortality and maternal nutrition; infant mortality and resilience; the role of breastfeeding in maternal and infant health; the historical framework of policies and practices to reduce infant mortality; and the authentic voices of those affected by infant mortality.

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The 2008 Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies National Opinion Poll is a national survey of 750 African American adults, conducted between September 16 and October 6, 2008. The survey's questions cover a range of topics including politics of the 2008 election and various issues, including education.

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