Wyoming is the least populated state in the country, and one of the whitest. But the recent boom in the oil, coal and gas industry has increased the state’s numbers of minorities, particularly African Americans. Since 2010 the African-American population in the state has more than doubled as workers move from around the country for jobs in the energy industry.
With the price of oil low, many are worried that oil companies will cut jobs in Wyoming, and workers will leave.
But this time, state census data shows that the diverse new workforce may be more likely to stay, even if the oil jobs leave. There’s a simple reason: They’re having kids. The number of African-American children in the state rose 40 percent between 2010 and 2013.
