NEW: Black Americans are being devastated by COVID-19. Of victims whose demographic data was publicly shared by officials - nearly 3,300 of the nation’s 13,000 deaths thus far — about 42% were black, according to a just released @AP analysis. https://apnews.com/71d952faad4a2a5d14441534f7230c7c

Our analysis is one of the first attempts to examine racial disparities of COVID-19 cases & deaths nationwide. We examined more than 4,450 deaths & 52,000 COVID-19 cases from across the country, relying on the handful of state & local governments that have released victims’ race.

The data we collected ranges from New York to Illinois to Alabama to San Diego, Calif., & covers an area that represents 82 million Americans, nearly 43% of whom are nonwhite.

Startling find: The data came mostly from large, racially diverse cities & states, but even where non-white populations are large, the impact of COVID-19 was outsized, particularly on the black community.

What do I mean? Even if the 1,200 death cases that the AP excluded from its analysis because they were recorded as “race unknown” turned out to be white patients, black Americans would still would be overrepresented in the share of cases — and even more so in the share of deaths.

A team of AP journalists - myself, @MeghanHoyer, @aaronlmorrison & many others across the nation- gathered available data & conducted interviews to try to capture the scope & magnitude of the coronavirus on African American communities in the United States.

In New York City, black, brown & immigrant communities are disproportionately represented among the diagnosed virus cases & deaths.

“It’s sick. It’s troubling. It’s wrong,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “and we are going to fight back with everything we’ve got.”

We know a history of systemic racism & inequity in access to healthcare & economic opportunity has made many African Americans far more vulnerable, plus health disparities. They also often report medical professionals take their ailments less seriously when they seek treatment.

Understanding how racism led us here is vital, @CourtneyCogburn, an associate professor at the Columbia University School of Social Work, said.“There are patterns at this intersection of race & socioeconomic status that make it very clear this is just not a story about poverty."

Beyond the numbers, it's crucial to remember lives have been lost & families altered forever. In Louisiana, a pastor of a black church in Baton Rouge was one of the state's first confirmed deaths. The virus also claimed one of the state’s most revered musicians, Ellis Marsalis.

Marsha Battle Philpot said tragedy has struck every corner of Detroit. Brenda Perryman, a beloved educator & playwright, pictured left, died Sunday.

Philpot, pictured right, said: “This is going to be a collective loss that is going to reverberate through generations."

End of thread: Our story is now leading the @AP’s website. We will continue to cover inequity & race amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the disproportionate impact on black Americans. More to come. DM or email story tips and ideas.