U.S. Census Office, Age and Sex in Percentages of Each Element of the Population, 1880 to 1900 (1903)

This series of population pyramids was created by Henry Gannett and included in the 1900 Statistical Atlas of the United States, based on data from the 1900 Census. The first population pyramid focuses on the total population of the United States, then the next two focus specifically on the white and black populations. The left side of the population pyramid represents the male population, while the right side represents the female population. The vertical axis shows age groups, with younger ages at the bottom, and the length of each horizontal bar indicates the percentage of the total population in that age and gender group. Certain patterns in population pyramids reflect the demographic characteristics of a population. For example, a stable population with nearly equal birth and death rates typically forms a pillar shape. In contrast, these population pyramids form triangular shapes, indicating higher birth rates and lower life expectancy. This suggests that the population was growing but not living long lives. When comparing the population pyramids for the black and white populations, some significant differences can be observed. For example, the white population had a higher percentage of people living to old age than the Black population. This was most likely due to the lasting effects of slavery, which had taken the lives of countless people of color. These differences are especially prominent in the 1880 population pyramid, which was the decade closest to the abolition of slavery.