Marian Wright Edelman’s tour of the Delta on Wednesday showed that many of the issues she and U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy witnessed 50 years ago still trouble the area.
Rates of unemployment, family poverty and food insecurity are higher in most of the Delta’s 18 counties than the rest of the state as well as the U.S. as a whole. 12.8 percent of Issaquena is unemployed, for instance, which is more than three times the national rate.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau/Mississippi Department of Employment Security
Ten counties (Bolivar, Coahoma, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Quitman, Sunflower, Washington and Yazoo) have rates of families earning under the poverty level that more than double the national percentage.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Food insecurity, which nonprofit Feeding America defines as limited or uncertain access to healthy meals, is above average in Mississippi as a whole, but counties in the Delta experience especially high rates.
Source: Feeding America