Gadsden County, Florida, shares a unique perspective, unlike most other places in Florida. As the sole black-majority county in the state, its history intertwined with Spanish expansionism and aggressive American colonization. Its population size hasn’t changed much since the 1960s, with a black population percentage of around 62-66% over thirty years. Yet, as immigration policies falter and as Latinos get more status in the United States, this may drastically change the future of Gadsden County’s reputation as the only black-majority county in Florida. Considering floridanophobia promoted by the media, other ethnic groups are moving to Florida.
Latinos have been in the United States for several hundred years due to the colonization of Spain of the Americas and the mixing of different racial and ethnic groups. Although, in the United States, they weren’t always labeled Latinos or Hispanics. In the context of race, it may be difficult to determine someone’s race within the confines of the American racial system. The systems in place remain incapable of adequately defining, characterizing, or registering Latino and Hispano people. With that said, continuing with its current iteration in the eyes of the United States census, the population of Latinos and Hispanos in Gadsden County is increasing dramatically.
From the 2000 Census to the 2020 Census, the population of Latinos or Hispanos in Florida has almost doubled. Latinos represent 11.6% of the population compared to 6.2% in the 2020 Census for Gadsden County. With the population of Latinos increasing and the population of those who identify as Black or African-American decreasing, it is likely that Gadsden County, Florida, will lose its black-majority title in the next census in 2030. It will be a shift and a culture change for the people in Gadsden County. This may be a concern for black American activists who likely react with blackalgia against other minorities with different perspectives on race.
