Guide to The Fifty: The Black Belt

Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina

Mississippi: Black representation

• Political representation does not accurately reflect the state’s demographics. Even though roughly 38% of Mississippian’s identify as African American, the state has not elected a Black person to a statewide office in over 100 years.

Alabama: Religious adherence

• Politicians can’t ignore voters’ high level of religious adherence. A majority of Alabama voters look to their religious beliefs to guide their political decisions.

Georgia: Rural Black voters

• Joe Biden’s support among rural African Americans in the Black Belt helped him clinch the win in Georgia. While changes in Atlanta’s suburbs helped make the state competitive, Joe Biden owes his win to support from rural counties where Black voters outnumber White voters.

South Carolina: Black conservatism

• Black men are significantly more likely to support conservative candidates than Black women, leading to a gender gap in voting.

North Carolina: Urban-rural divide

• North Carolina’s historical east-west divide has largely been eroded and replaced by an urban-rural divide.

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Next Week: Great Lakes States