The Early Census 1860-1920
| Year Census | U.S. Population | African-American Population | African-American % |
| 1860 | 31,443,790 | 4,441,790 | 14.1 |
| 1870 | 39,818,449 | 4,880,009 | 12.7 |
| 1880 | 50,155,783 | 6,580,793 | 13.1 |
| 1890 | 62,947,714 | 7,488,676 | 11.9 |
| 1900 | 75,994,575 | 8,833,994 | 11.6 |
| 1910 | 93,402,151 | 9,827,763 | 10.7 |
| 1920 | 105,710,620 | 10,463,131 | 9.9 |