Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen
Majority of Black adults say the legacy of slavery affects the position of Black people in the U.S.
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- Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen
- After George Floyd’s murder, half of Black Americans expected policy changes to address racial inequality, After George Floyd’s murder, half of Black Americans expected policy changes to address racial inequality
- About six-in-ten Black adults say racism and police brutality are extremely big problems for Black people in the U.S. today
- Many Black adults say institutional overhauls are necessary to ensure fair treatment
- Little hope among Black adults that changes to address racial inequality are likely
- Black adults differ by party in their views on racial discrimination and changes to policing
- Most Black adults say increased focus on racial inequality has not improved the lives of Black people
- Nearly two-thirds of Black adults say the nation’s most recent racial reckoning has not improved the lives of Black people
- Just 13% of Black adults say equality for Black people in the U.S. is extremely or very likely
- Roughly one-in-ten Black adults say equality for Black people in the U.S. is extremely or very likely
- Majority of Black adults say racism and police brutality are extremely big problems
- About six-in-ten Black Americans say racism and police brutality are extremely big problems for Black people in America today
- Majorities say racism, police brutality are extremely big problems for Black people in America today
- Fewer Black adults see economic inequality, health care affordability, efforts to limit voting and quality of K-12 schools as big problems for Black people in the U.S.
- Black adults ages 65 and older are more likely than younger Black adults to say efforts to limit voting are an extremely big problem
- Majority of Black adults have personally experienced discrimination because of their race or ethnicity
- Experiences with racial discrimination are widespread among Black Americans
- About half of Black adults say racism in our laws is a bigger problem than racism by individual people
- Among Black adults, racism in our laws is seen as a bigger problem than racism by individual people
- Two-thirds of Black adults say racial discrimination is the main reason many Black people can’t get ahead these days
- Across most demographic subgroups, Black adults say racial discrimination is the main reason many Black people can’t get ahead these days
- Majorities of Black adults say voting and supporting Black businesses are effective ways to move toward equality
- Nearly two-thirds of Black adults say voting is an effective tactic for helping Black people move toward equality
- Black adults under 30 are among the least likely to say voting is an extremely or very effective path toward equality
- Black adults see supporting Black-owned businesses as very effective at promoting equality for Black people
- Most Black adults say supporting Black businesses is an extremely or very effective tactic toward equality
- Roughly four-in-ten Black adults say Black people owning all businesses in Black neighborhoods would be an effective way to move toward equality in the U.S.
- Younger Black adults are slightly more likely to say Black-controlled community institutions would be effective in helping Black people move toward equality
- Three-in-ten Black adults say Barack Obama is the most important Black leader in the U.S. today
- Nearly four-in-ten Black adults say Black Lives Matter has done the most to help Black people in recent years
- Nearly eight-in-ten Black adults say White people would make good political allies
- Majorities of Black adults say White people would make good political allies
- Nearly eight-in-ten Black adults say Latinos would make good political allies
- Majorities of Black adults say Latinos would make good political allies
- More than two-thirds of Black adults say Asian Americans would make good political allies
- Black adults differ by education and party on the legacy of slavery
- Majority of Black adults say the legacy of slavery affects the position of Black people in the U.S.
- Black Democrats more likely than Republicans to think descendants of the enslaved should be repaid
- Majority of Black adults think descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid
- Black adults who want reparations differ by education and income on helpfulness of cash payments
- Majority of Black adults who want reparations think educational and business assistance would be extremely or very helpful forms of repayment for slavery
- Of those favoring reparations, Black registered voters more likely than unregistered to say federal government should have all or most responsibility for repayment
- Black Democrats and Republicans about as likely to say the federal government should have all or most of the responsibility for repayment for slavery
- Majority of Black adults who want reparations think repayments for slavery are not at all likely in their lifetime
- Few differences on likelihood of repayment among Black adults who want reparations for slavery
- About half of Black adults say policing, prison system and judicial process need to be completely rebuilt
- Majority of Black registered voters say the prison system needs to be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly
- Majority of Black adults say the prison system needs to be completely rebuilt to ensure fair treatment of Black people
- A higher share of Black conservatives than moderates or liberals say the prison system is extremely or very likely to change in their lifetime
- Black Republicans more likely than Democrats to say policing is extremely or very likely to change in their lifetime
- Black adults differ by education and income in saying that the political, economic and health care systems are extremely or very likely to change in their lifetime