 From the 1870s to the 1890s, African Americans made up almost 40% of Houston's population.Between 1910 and 1970 the African American population ranged from 21% to 32.7%.In 1870 36% of the African-Americans in Houston lived in the Fourth Ward, 29% lived in the Third Ward, 16% lived in the Fifth Ward, and 19% lived in other areas.