Major Survey Reveals Black Americans’ Have Little Hope Racial Inequality In America Will Change

A new survey exploring Black Americans’ views about racism in America is making headlines due to the bleak outlook expressed by the respondents.

According to the Pew Research Center, 65% of Black Americans say there have not been “changes that improved their lives” since George Floyd was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer which led to weeks of protests and national attention on racial discrimination. The survey also found that 44% of African Americans do not think there will ever be racial equality in the country.

The responses are a dramatic reversal from September 2020 when 56% of Black Americans thought the protests would lead to changes that improved their lives.

Anecdotal accounts of racial discrimination are quantified in the report with 79% of respondents recalling a personal experience with racism, and more than 68% say racism is the reason African Americans cannot get ahead.

Many Black Americans want the nation’s institutions overhauled, including the justice system and the election process with particular attention devoted to voter rights which have been under attack in red-leaning states since the 2020 election. The report also detailed calls for more support of Black businesses and communities. Despite definitive ideas for reform, the survey’s respondents were not optimistic about implementation.

The Pew Center interviewed 3, 912 Black Americans during October 2021.