Black and White

Mississippi is the most politically conservative state in the nation, according to a Gallup survey. It is also the state in which blacks account for the largest share of the population. Just over half (50.5%) of adults in Mississippi identify themselves as political conservatives. More than one-third (37.1%) of Mississippi's population is black.

Is Mississippi's number one rank in both measures a coincidence, or is it a consequence of the growing political polarization of whites and blacks? Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina also rank among the top ten in both measures.