Memphis, not Detroit, could be the largest majority-Black U.S. city

Detroit may have lost its 40-year-old title as the country's largest majority-Black city, the Free Press reports.

Why it matters: The potential loss of this oft-cited moniker is part of a larger story — the city's decadeslong population decline.

What's happening: The latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates show Detroit is still losing population — though Mayor Mike Duggan has contested the bureau's figures, calling the federal agency a "clown show."

• While the Census does a full population count every 10 years, it also releases estimates between.

By the numbers: Data released last week shows Detroit with a population of 620,376 people, slipping below another majority-Black city, Memphis, and its 621,056 residents, per the Free Press.

• Detroit is 76% Black and Memphis 63%.

Yes, but: The cities' populations are close and these numbers are estimates to be taken with a grain of salt.

What they're saying: Local civil rights activist Edith Lee-Payne told the Free Press that the loss of this status is likely more symbolic than having major "real-world implications."

Read the full Free Press story