Black Americans' Vision for Reducing Racism (PDF)

Pew Research Center Report Part Title: Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen Report Title: Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen Report Author(s): Kiana Cox and Khadijah Edwards Published by: Pew Rese...

Pew Research Center Report Part Title: Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen Report Title: Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen Report Author(s): Kiana Cox and Khadijah Edwards Published by: Pew Research Center (2022) Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep57437.6 JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms Pew Research Center is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to this content. This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  6 PEW RESEARCH CENTER More than a year after the murder of George Floyd and After George Floyd’s murder, half of Black Americans the national protests, debate expected policy changes to address racial inequality and political promises that In September 2020, % of Black adults who said increased attention to issues ensued, 65% of Black of race and racial inequality will... Americans say the increased Lead to major policy changes to national attention on racial address racial inequality 50 inequality has not led to changes that improved their Lead to changes that will improve lives.1 And 44% say equality Black people's lives 56 for Black people in the United States is not likely to be... but by 2021 many did not see improvements to achieved, according to newly Black people’s lives and did not expect to released findings from an In October 2021, % of Black adults who say that... October 2021 survey of Black Americans by Pew Research Increased attention to racial inequality has NOT led to changes that are improving 65 Center. Black people's lives This is somewhat of a reversal Equality for Black people in the U.S. is a in views from September little or not at all likely 44 2020, when half of Black adults said the increased Note: Here, Black adults only include those who say their race is Black alone and are non- national focus on issues of Hispanic. race would lead to major Source: Surveys of U.S. adults conducted Sept. 8-13, 2020, and Oct. 4-17, 2021. “Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen” policy changes to address PEW RESEARCH CENTER racial inequality in the country 1 Black adults in the September 2020 survey only include those who say their race is Black alone and are non-Hispanic. The same is true only for the questions of improvements to Black people’s lives and equality in the United States in the October 2021 survey. Throughout the rest of this report, Black adults include those who say their race is Black alone and non-Hispanic; those who say their race is Black and at least one other race and non-Hispanic; or Black and Hispanic, unless otherwise noted. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  7 PEW RESEARCH CENTER and 56% expected changes that would make their lives better. At the same time, many Black Americans are concerned about racial discrimination and its impact. Roughly eight-in-ten say they have personally experienced discrimination because of their race or ethnicity (79%), and most also say discrimination is the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead (68%). Even so, Black Americans have a clear vision for how to achieve change when it comes to racial inequality. This includes support for significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions to ensure fair treatment, particularly the criminal justice system; political engagement, primarily in the form of voting; support for Black businesses to advance Black communities; and reparations in the forms of educational, business and homeownership assistance. Yet alongside their assessments of inequality and ideas about progress exists pessimism about whether U.S. society and its institutions will change in ways that would reduce racism. These findings emerge from an extensive Pew Research Center survey of 3,912 Black Americans conducted online Oct. 4-17, 2021. The survey explores how Black Americans assess their position in U.S. society and their ideas about social change. Overall, Black Americans are clear on what they think the problems are facing the country and how to remedy them. However, they are skeptical that meaningful changes will take place in their lifetime. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  8 PEW RESEARCH CENTER Black adults were asked in the survey to assess the current About six-in-ten Black adults say racism and police brutality are extremely big problems for Black people nature of racism in the United in the U.S. today States and whether structural % of Black adults who say each of the following is an extremely big problem or individual sources of this for Black people in the U.S. today racism are a bigger problem for Black people. About half of Racism 63 Black adults (52%) say racism Police brutality 60 in our laws is a bigger problem than racism by individual Economic inequality 54 people, while four-in-ten. Affordability of health care 47 (43%) say acts of racism committed by individual Efforts to limit voting 46 people is the bigger problem. Quality of K-12 schools 40 Only 3% of Black adults say that Black people do not % of Black adults who say... experience discrimination in Racial discrimination is the main reason why many Black people 68 the U.S. today. can't get ahead these days In assessing the magnitude of Note: Black adults include those who say their race is Black alone and non-Hispanic, Black and at least one other race and non-Hispanic, or Black and Hispanic. problems that they face, the Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Oct. 4-17, 2021. “Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen” majority of Black Americans PEW RESEARCH CENTER say racism (63%), police brutality (60%) and economic inequality (54%) are extremely or very big problems for Black people living in the U.S. Slightly smaller shares say the same about the affordability of health care (47%), limitations on voting (46%), and the quality of K-12 schools (40%). Aside from their critiques of U.S. institutions, Black adults also feel the impact of racial inequality personally. Most Black adults say they occasionally or frequently experience unfair treatment because of their race or ethnicity (79%), and two-thirds (68%) cite racial discrimination as the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead today. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  9 PEW RESEARCH CENTER Black Americans are clear on the challenges they face Many Black adults say institutional overhauls are because of racism. They are necessary to ensure fair treatment also clear on the solutions. % of Black adults who say each of the following needs to be completely rebuilt These range from overhauls of for Black people to be treated fairly policing practices and the criminal justice system to civic The prison system 54 engagement and reparations Policing 49 to descendants of people The courts and judicial process 48 enslaved in the United States. The political system 42 Changing U.S. institutions The economic system 37 such as policing, courts and The health care system 34 prison systems. % of Black adults who say funding for police departments in their About nine-in-ten Black adults communities should be... say multiple aspects of the criminal justice system need Increased 35 some kind of change (minor, Stay about the same 39 major or a complete overhaul) Decreased 23 to ensure fair treatment, with nearly all saying so about Among those who say police funding should be decreased, % who say __ policing (95%), the courts and should be a top priority for those funds judicial process (95%), and the Medical, mental health, and social services 40 prison system (94%). K-12 schools 25 Roughly half of Black adults Roads, water systems, 12 and other infrastructure say policing (49%), the courts Note: Black adults include those who say their race is Black alone and non-Hispanic, Black and judicial process (48%), and at least one other race and non-Hispanic, or Black and Hispanic. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Oct. 4-17, 2021. and the prison system (54%) “Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen” need to be completely rebuilt PEW RESEARCH CENTER for Black people to be treated fairly. Smaller shares say the same about the political system (42%), the economic system (37%) and the health care system (34%), according to the October survey. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  10 PEW RESEARCH CENTER While Black Americans are in favor of significant changes to policing, most want spending on police departments in their communities to stay the same (39%) or increase (35%). A little more than one-in-five (23%) think spending on police departments in their area should be decreased. Black adults who favor decreases in police spending are most likely to name medical, mental health and social services (40%) as the top priority for those reappropriated funds. Smaller shares say K-12 schools (25%), roads, water systems and other infrastructure (12%), and reducing taxes (13%) should be the top priority. Voting and ‘buying Black’ viewed as important strategies for Black community advancement Black Americans also have clear views on the types of political and civic engagement they believe will move Black communities forward. About six-in-ten Black adults say voting (63%) and supporting Black businesses or “buying Black” (58%) are extremely or very effective strategies for moving Black people toward equality in the U.S. Smaller though still significant shares say the same about volunteering with organizations dedicated to Black equality (48%), protesting (42%) and contacting elected officials (40%). Black adults were also asked about the effectiveness of Black economic and political independence in moving them toward equality. About four-in-ten (39%) say Black ownership of all businesses in Black neighborhoods would be an extremely or very effective strategy for moving toward racial equality, while roughly three-in-ten (31%) say the same about establishing a national Black political party. And about a quarter of Black adults (27%) say having Black neighborhoods governed entirely by Black elected officials would be extremely or very effective in moving Black people toward equality. Most Black Americans support repayment for slavery Discussions about atonement for slavery predate the founding of the United States. As early as 1672, Quaker abolitionists advocated for enslaved people to be paid for their labor once they were free. And in recent years, some U.S. cities and institutions have implemented reparations policies to do just that. Most Black Americans say the legacy of slavery affects the position of Black people in the U.S. either a great deal (55%) or a fair amount (30%), according to the survey. And roughly three- quarters (77%) say descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  11 PEW RESEARCH CENTER Black adults who say descendants of the enslaved should be repaid support doing so in different ways. About eight-in-ten say repayment in the forms of educational scholarships (80%), financial assistance for starting or improving a business (77%), and financial assistance for buying or remodeling a home (76%) would be extremely or very helpful. A slightly smaller share (69%) say cash payments would be extremely or very helpful forms of repayment for the descendants of enslaved people. Where the responsibility for repayment lies is also clear for Black Americans. Among those who say the descendants of enslaved people should be repaid, 81% say the U.S. federal government should have all or most of the responsibility for repayment. About three-quarters (76%) say businesses and banks that profited from slavery should bear all or most of the responsibility for repayment. And roughly six-in-ten say the same about colleges and universities that benefited from slavery (63%) and descendants of families who engaged in the slave trade (60%). www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  12 PEW RESEARCH CENTER Even though Black Americans’ visions for social change are Little hope among Black adults that changes to clear, very few expect them to address racial inequality are likely be implemented. Overall, 44% % of Black adults who say each of the following is a little or not at all likely of Black adults say equality for Reparations to descendants Black people in the U.S. is a of people enslaved in the U.S. 82 little or not at all likely. A little Changes to the prison system over a third (38%) say it is 67 to treat Black people fairly somewhat likely and only 13% Changes to policing to treat 58 say it is extremely or very Black people fairly likely. Equality for Black people 44 in the U.S. They also do not think specific Note: Black adults include those who say their race is Black alone and non-Hispanic, Black institutions will change. Two- and at least one other race and non-Hispanic, or Black and Hispanic. Only respondents who expressed support for reparations were asked about its likelihood. Only respondents who thirds of Black adults say said the prison system and/or policing needs at least minor changes were asked about the changes to the prison system likelihood of change. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Oct. 4-17, 2021. (67%) and the courts and “Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen” judicial process (65%) that PEW RESEARCH CENTER would ensure fair treatment for Black people are a little or not at all likely in their lifetime. About six-in-ten (58%) say the same about policing. Only about one- in-ten say changes to policing (13%), the courts and judicial process (12%), and the prison system (11%) are extremely or very likely. This pessimism is not only about the criminal justice system. The majority of Black adults say the political (63%), economic (62%) and health care (51%) systems are also unlikely to change in their lifetime. Black Americans’ vision for social change includes reparations. However, much like their pessimism about institutional change, very few think they will see reparations in their lifetime. Among Black adults who say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid, 82% say reparations for slavery are unlikely to occur in their lifetime. About one-in-ten (11%) say repayment is somewhat likely, while only 7% say repayment is extremely or very likely to happen in their lifetime. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  13 PEW RESEARCH CENTER Party affiliation is one key point of difference among Black adults differ by party in their views on racial discrimination and changes to policing Black Americans in their % of Black adults who say … assessments of racial inequality and their visions for social Rep/Lean Rep Dem/Lean Dem change. Black Republicans and Racial discrimination is the main 44 Republican leaners are more reason why many Black people cannot get ahead these days 73 likely than Black Democrats and Democratic leaners to Black people who cannot get ahead 45 focus on the acts of individuals. in the U.S. are mostly responsible for For example, when their own condition 21 summarizing the nature of Policing needs to be completely 29 racism against Black people in rebuilt for Black people to be the U.S., the majority of Black treated fairly 52 Republicans (59%) say racist Funding for police departments 21 acts committed by individual in their communities people is a bigger problem for should be decreased 24 Black people than racism in our Note: Black adults include those who say their race is Black alone and non-Hispanic, Black laws. Black Democrats (41%) and at least one other race and non-Hispanic, or Black and Hispanic. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Oct. 4-17, 2021. are less likely to hold this view. “Black Americans Have a Clear Vision for Reducing Racism but Little Hope It Will Happen” PEW RESEARCH CENTER Black Republicans (45%) are also more likely than Black Democrats (21%) to say that Black people who cannot get ahead in the U.S. are mostly responsible for their own condition. And while similar shares of Black Republicans (79%) and Democrats (80%) say they experience racial discrimination on a regular basis, Republicans (64%) are more likely than Democrats (36%) to say that most Black people who want to get ahead can make it if they are willing to work hard. On the other hand, Black Democrats are more likely than Black Republicans to focus on the impact that racial inequality has on Black Americans. Seven-in-ten Black Democrats (73%) say racial discrimination is the main reason many Black people cannot get ahead in the U.S, while about four-in-ten Black Republicans (44%) say the same. And Black Democrats are more likely than Black Republicans to say racism (67% vs. 46%) and police brutality (65% vs. 44%) are extremely big problems for Black people today. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  14 PEW RESEARCH CENTER Black Democrats are also more critical of U.S. institutions than Black Republicans are. For example, Black Democrats are more likely than Black Republicans to say the prison system (57% vs. 35%), policing (52% vs. 29%) and the courts and judicial process (50% vs. 35%) should be completely rebuilt for Black people to be treated fairly. While the share of Black Democrats who want to see large-scale changes to the criminal justice system exceeds that of Black Republicans, they share similar views on police funding. Four-in-ten each of Black Democrats and Black Republicans say funding for police departments in their communities should remain the same, while around a third of each partisan coalition (36% and 37%, respectively) says funding should increase. Only about one-in-four Black Democrats (24%) and one-in-five Black Republicans (21%) say funding for police departments in their communities should decrease. Among the survey’s other findings: Black adults differ by age in their views on political strategies. Black adults ages 65 and older (77%) are most likely to say voting is an extremely or very effective strategy for moving Black people toward equality. They are significantly more likely than Black adults ages 18 to 29 (48%) and 30 to 49 (60%) to say this. Black adults 65 and older (48%) are also more likely than those ages 30 to 49 (38%) and 50 to 64 (42%) to say protesting is an extremely or very effective strategy. Roughly four-in-ten Black adults ages 18 to 29 say this (44%). Gender plays a role in how Black adults view policing. Though majorities of Black women (65%) and men (56%) say police brutality is an extremely big problem for Black people living in the U.S. today, Black women are more likely than Black men to hold this view. When it comes to criminal justice, Black women (56%) and men (51%) are about equally likely to share the view that the prison system should be completely rebuilt to ensure fair treatment of Black people. However, Black women (52%) are slightly more likely than Black men (45%) to say this about policing. On the matter of police funding, Black women (39%) are slightly more likely than Black men (31%) to say police funding in their communities should be increased. On the other hand, Black men are more likely than Black women to prefer that funding stay the same (44% vs. 36%). Smaller shares of both Black men (23%) and women (22%) would like to see police funding decreased. Income impacts Black adults’ views on reparations. Roughly eight-in-ten Black adults with lower- (78%), middle- (77%) and upper-incomes (79%) say the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should receive reparations. Among those who support reparations, Black adults with upper and middle incomes (both 84%) are more likely than those with lower incomes (75%) to say educational scholarships would be an extremely or very helpful form of repayment. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms  15 PEW RESEARCH CENTER However, of those who support reparations, Black adults with lower (72%) and middle incomes (68%) are more likely than those with higher incomes (57%) to say cash payments would be an extremely or very helpful form of repayment for slavery. www.pewresearch.org This content downloaded from 136.145.214.26 on Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:54:51 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms