Number of Hispanics continues to increase

Does it seem like you’re hearing a lot more Spanish lately? If not, where have you been? Hispanic language and culture has been a part of American culture since the beginning of America. More recently however, it has entered every aspect of daily American life – from the aisle in the grocery store that only has Mexican food to the catchy hooks of many hip-hop songs. This surge of Hispanic culture was validated recently when the Census Bureau announced that the Hispanic population now makes up 13 percent of the nation while African-Americans linger at 12.7 percent. This 13 percent does not include the 3.8 million Hispanics in Puerto Rico, which is a United States territory. A Hispanic Web site called Hispanic Trends reports that between 1990 and 2000 the Hispanic population grew by 13 million people, which is an increase of 58 percent. The majority of this growth comes from higher birth and immigration rates. Although African-Americans are a close second, it will be hard for us to take first place again. The trends show that Hispanic populations will continue to increase. The important question is how will this affect American culture, and more especially African-American culture. Opinions on the BET.com Web site vary greatly. Jason Shelton, a junior computer science major, said, “I do not believe that an increase in the Hispanic population will have a negative effect on the African-American community. With a plethora of Hispanics in the United States, I believe that the Hispanics will have a significant impact on American society.” Michael Brookshaw, a Spanish professor, said, “This has been the case for a long time. People must understand the history. Mexicans have been here before everyone. Many of our states and cities have Spanish names. We’ve always had an intimate relationship with things Spanish. The thing that is going to change is that the Hispanics are going to gain power. African-Americans need to become more politically and economically powerful or other groups are going to pass us. It is a wake up call for Black America.”