U.S. Hispanic population tops 50 million

The U.S. Hispanic population passed the 50 million mark for the first time and Latinos accounted more than half of U.S. population growth in the last decade, the Census Bureau said on Thursday. The Census Bureau put the Latino count at 50.5 million or 16.3 percent of the U.S. population. In 2000, Hispanics accounted for 12.5 percent of Americans. The new numbers were part of a wealth of data released by the bureau, including ethnicity and geographical figures. Growth in the Hispanic population accounted for more than half of American population growth between 2000 and 2010, the data shows. The Census Bureau said that it had not yet determined if the increases were caused by immigration or births.

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One day soon, the Hispanic community will more forcefully assert its right to a greater share of upper level elected and appointed political positions. The over representation of African Americans (based upon their share of the population) and the under representation of Hispanics (based upon their share of the population) will not continue much longer.