TO the extent that living can be expressed in numbers, black consumers occupy a sizable slice of American life. Last year the nation's 22,727,000 blacks spent more than $35 billion on goods and services—only slightly less than the 21,007,000 citizens (the total population) of Canada.
Social restraints on blacks greatly influence what they buy. Given a hard time buying suburban homes, many blacks find compensatory status in owning impressive cars. Clothing is another available outlet for funds; among Americans with incomes of $7,500 and above, blacks spend 45% more on apparel and 23% more on shoes than whites. Economic necessity prompts blacks...
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