Pine Bluff, AR, was home to a major aviation school during WWII, where the US Air Corps trained 9,000 pilots. In the 1970s, it was the fourth-largest city in Arkansas and had close to 60,000 people. However, White flight had already begun by 1980.
Ultimate, White flight created a huge Black majority by 2010. Then, the city began a freefall population collapse as both Whites and blacks fled the city. The population dipped below 40k in 2023, and the city is in ruins. Homicide rates are astronomical.
1990: 46% White, 54% Black
2000: 32% White, 66% Black
2010: 21% White, 75% Black
2020: 18% White, 78% Black
Homicide Rate:
2020: 41.0 (23, 56.1 per 100k)
2021: 40.2k (24, 59.7 per 100k)
2022: 39.6k (17, 42.9 per 100k)
2023: 39.1k (31, 79.3 per 100k)
