The proportions of US citizens living below the poverty line grew from 11.2% in 1974- 12.5% in 1976, including 50% of all black female heads of household.
Numbers eligible for the Food-Stamp Programme grew from 18.5 million in 1976- 20 million in 1980.
Black family incomes were particularly hard hit because black workers were disproportionately represented in unskilled occupations.
