City and community leaders in Fort Wayne are calling for action after new data detailed how Black residents of Fort Wayne and Allen County are faring in jobs, education, housing and health.
The Fort Wayne Urban League has released its 'State of Black Fort Wayne' report, the first local report of its kind in more than a decade. Leaders say the numbers confirm long-standing disparities and can serve as a roadmap for change.
The report compares Black residents in Allen County with white residents locally, and with state and national averages, across employment and income, education levels, homeownership and health outcomes, including infant mortality. The Community Research Institute at Purdue University Fort Wayne compiled and analyzed the data.
Among the findings the Urban League highlighted, Black homeownership in Allen County is just over 41 percent, below the national Black homeownership rate of 45.4 percent, and infant mortality rates for Black babies in Allen County remain far higher than national averages, at about double those averages, according to Urban League President and CEO Aisha Arrington.
Mayor Sharon Tucker used the release event to challenge non-Black residents and institutions to move beyond statements of support. The Urban League says it plans to use the findings to guide its 2027 strategic plan, including programs, partnerships and advocacy priorities, while stressing the work will not be a quick fix.
