African American Millennials: Bridging the Digital Divide and Powering Economic Growth

Today’s report released by Nielsen, the leading digital age measurement company, underscores a rising trend: younger African Americans in the United States are leveraging mobile technology to bridge the digital divide more effectively than any other racial group in the country.

This report further highlights the increasingly critical role that social media plays in shaping discourse around issues of crucial importance to the African American community. In recent years, a surge in the creation of trending hashtags on platforms like Twitter has helped to amplify awareness of topics ranging from police violence to education disparities on a global scale. The report, aptly titled “Young, Connected, and Black,” presents an image of a tech-savvy Black diaspora that is socially and civically engaged, experiencing population growth (currently totaling 46.3 million or 14% of the U.S. population), increasing its buying power (nearly $1.2 trillion in 2015), and looking toward the future with optimism.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the notable statistics from the report:

– African-American millennials are 25% more likely than the average millennial to be among the first in their peers to experiment with new tech products.
– As smartphone owners, African-Americans (91%) are second only to Asian-Americans (94%).
– An increase from 86% in 2015 to 91% in African-Americans who say they access the internet using a mobile device solidifies their status as digital leaders.
– 55% of Black millennials spend at least one hour a day on social networking sites, 6% more than the average millennial, and 29% spend at least three hours a day, which is 9% more than the average millennial.
– The completion rate for high school among African Americans ages 25-34 stands at 89%, in comparison to 77% of Black Americans aged 55 and older.

When it comes to economic power,

– The overall black spending power is projected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2020.
– From 2004-2014, the number of black households with annual incomes of $50,000-$75,000 increased by 18%, compared to just 2% for the total U.S. Black households earning $100,000 annually or more saw an impressive 95% increase over the same period, compared to the 66% increase seen by the total population.
– The percentage of Black households earning less than $25,000 annually decreased from 43% in 2004 to 37% in 2014.

These promising developments should serve as positive news for both the black community and the American economy, which is largely consumer-driven.

Meanwhile, in Africa, consumer spending is projected to rise significantly in key cities into the 2020s. This is welcome news for tech companies since consumer purchasing power is crucial for the success of new device launches.

The falling PC shipment trends in African nations – largely due to dropping purchasing power and overall economic decline in these oil-export-dependent countries – have posed challenges. The strength of the dollar and other similar factors further complicate the economic scene. However, as seen among African Americans, a similar positive technological adoption trend is visible in Africa as well.

Not so long ago, both African and African-American communities lagged behind in business and education due to historical injustices. However, the advent of the internet has been a game changer. It has democratized access to information, empowering communities to take significant strides forward.

Africa, home to over 1 billion people, boasts a burgeoning youthful population. Over 200 million of its residents are between 15 to 24 years of age. These tech-savvy young adults are at the forefront of the continent’s digital revolution from creating near 100% tele density countries like Nigeria, driving predicted 400 million smartphone users by 2017, expanding broadband coverage, and so much more.

Social media has increasingly become a powerful tool for socio-political change. The Arab Spring that begun in North Africa showed how the internet could be leveraged to effect government changes. Similarly, we see this digital momentum in African Americans closing the digital divide and creating a more equitable future.