study: interracial marriages @ record high in u.s.
associated press
february 16, 2012
number of interracial marriages in u.s. has climbed 4.8 million, record 1 in 12 couples, steady flow of asian , hispanic immigrants expands pool of prospective spouses. blacks substantially more before marry whites.
pew research center study, released thursday, details diversifying america interracial unions , mixed-race children produce challenging typical notions of race.
"the rise in interracial marriage indicates race relations have improved on past quarter century," said daniel lichter, sociology professor @ cornell university. "mixed-race children have blurred america's color line. interact others on either side of racial divide , serve brokers between friends , family members of different racial backgrounds," said. "but america still has long way go."
figures come previous censuses 2008-2010 american community survey, surveys 3 million households annually. figures "white" refer whites not of hispanic ethnicity. purposes of defining interracial marriages, hispanic counted race many in demographic field.
study finds 8.4 percent of current u.s. marriages interracial, 3.2 percent in 1980. while hispanics , asians remained likely, in previous decades, marry of different race, biggest jump in share since 2008 occurred among blacks, historically have been segregated.
states in west, asian , hispanic immigrants more numerous, including hawaii, nevada, new mexico , california, among have couples "marry out" more 1 in 5. west followed south, northeast , midwest. state, white vermont had lowest rate of intermarriage, @ 4 percent.
in all, more 15 percent of new marriages in 2010 interracial.
numbers coincide pew survey data showing greater public acceptance of mixed marriage, coming half century after supreme court in 1967 barred race-based restrictions on marriage. (the 45th anniversary of decision june 12. in 2000, alabama became last state lift unenforceable ban on interracial marriages.) 83 percent of americans "all right blacks , whites date each other," 48 percent in 1987. whole, 63 percent of surveyed "would fine" if family member marry outside race.
minorities, young adults, higher educated , living in western or northeastern states more mixed marriages change better society. figure 61 percent 18- 29-year-olds, instance, compared 28 percent 65 , older.
due increasing numbers of interracial marriages, multiracial americans small fast-growing demographic group, comprising 9 million, or 8 percent of minority population. blacks, hispanics , asians, census bureau estimates collectively represent majority of u.s. population mid-century.
"race social construct; race isn't real," said jonathan brent, 28. son of white father , japanese-american mother, brent helped organize multiracial groups in southern california , believes background helps him understand situations different perspectives.
brent, lawyer in charlottesville, virginia, says @ varying points in life has identified being white, japanese , more of mixed ethnic background. not feel constrained whom socially interacts or dates.
according pew report, more 25 percent of hispanics , asians married in 2010 had spouse of different race. compares 17.1 percent of blacks , 9.4 percent of whites. of 275,500 new interracial marriages in 2010, 43 percent white-hispanic couples, 14.4 percent white-asian, 11.9 percent white-black, , remainder other combinations.
still, share of asians intermarried has declined 30.5 percent in 2008 27.7 percent in 2010. in contrast, blacks married outside race increased in share 15.5 percent 17.1 percent, due in part rising black middle class has more interaction other races.
intermarriage among whites rose in share slightly, while among hispanics rate flat, @ 25.7 percent.
"in past century, intermarriage has evolved being illegal, taboo , merely unusual. , each passing year, becomes less unusual," said paul taylor, director of pew's social & demographic trends project. "that says lot state of race relations. behaviors have changed , attitudes have changed."
noted interracial marriages among hispanics , asians may slowing recent immigration , rapid population growth provide minorities more ethnically similar partners choose from. taylor believes longer-term trend of intermarriage continue.
"for younger americans, racial , ethnic diversity part of lives," said.
pew study tracks divorce trends, citing studies using government data found overall divorce rates higher interracial couples. 1 study conducted decade ago determined mixed-race couples had 41 percent chance of separation or divorce, compared 31 percent chance married within races.
analysis found divorce rates among mixed-race couples more dependent on specific race combination, white women married outside race more divorce. mixed marriages involving blacks , whites considered least stable, followed hispanic-white couples.
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