Within the months after George Floyd’s homicide, as protests swept the globe and books on racism and white privilege flew from bookstore cabinets, hope grew that America may lastly confront its authentic sin. Company America pumped billions of {dollars} into racial justice initiatives, whereas lawmakers debated police reform at each the state and federal ranges.
5 years later, a brand new Pew Analysis Middle survey of how Individuals view race, racial inequality, and policing confirms what Black Individuals have lengthy identified: The so-called racial reckoning was an phantasm, and white folks assume the nation focuses an excessive amount of on race. Black folks, in the meantime, see true racial equality as additional away than ever.
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Pew discovered that 72% of Individuals “say the elevated deal with race and racial inequality after Floyd’s killing didn’t result in modifications that improved the lives of Black folks.” In 2020, 67% supported Black Lives Matter; right this moment, simply 52% do. In 2020, round half believed the nation hadn’t performed sufficient to attain racial equality, however now solely 43% maintain that view.
Most sobering is the collapse of religion amongst these nonetheless working towards racial justice and progress: simply 51% of survey respondents consider Black of us will achieve equal rights sometime, down from 60% in September 2020.
There’s a stark racial divide behind that knowledge level. Pew discovered that solely 32% of Black Individuals consider Black folks could have equal rights, but 61% of whites, 59% of Asians, and 49% of Hispanic folks nonetheless consider equality is feasible.
In different phrases, “Two-thirds of Black adults who assume the nation hasn’t made sufficient progress on racial equality say that eventual equality with White folks will not be too or by no means seemingly,” in keeping with Pew.
Assist for Black Lives Matter
The phrase “Black Lives Matter” dominated social media in the summertime of 2020, and on the time, practically 7 in 10 Individuals supported the motion. Pew’s newest survey, nevertheless, discovered that hardly half of Individuals presently assist it, and the phrase not dominates the nationwide dialog on social platforms.
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The fading perception that Black lives nonetheless matter is acquainted to African Individuals. Pew discovered that just about 70% of Black adults stated the nation pays too little consideration to racial points, in comparison with simply 26% of white adults. General, 41% of Individuals surveyed consider race and racial points get an excessive amount of consideration, however the racial divide is clear: round half of white respondents consider this, however solely 14% of Black adults do.
The partisan divide on the problem is simply as stark.
Two-thirds of Republicans (66%), who are typically white, stated there’s an excessive amount of consideration paid to racial points, whereas solely 17% of Democrats agreed. On the flipside, 56% of Democrats stated there’s too little consideration paid to race in America, however simply 12% of Republicans consider that to be the case.
As for the effectiveness of the Black Lives Matter motion, Pew discovered that fewer than half of Black adults stated it “has been extraordinarily or very efficient at bringing consideration to racism in opposition to Black folks.” Solely 27% of white adults agreed.
Pew additionally requested Individuals how they view the connection between police and Black Individuals. In accordance with the survey outcomes, 54% of Individuals say relations between police and Black communities aren’t any higher than earlier than Floyd’s homicide, whereas 33% say issues are worse. Solely 11% consider issues have improved.
Will Trump Assist or Harm Racial Progress?
Pew requested Individuals how they felt President Donald Trump would deal with points associated to race throughout his second time period as president. Almost half of all Individuals (48%) consider Trump will make racial points worse — a view held by 8 in 10 Democrats however simply 14% of Republicans. In the meantime, 53% of Republicans count on him to enhance racial fairness, in comparison with solely 5% of Democrats.
Republicans are additionally extra seemingly than Democrats to say they continuously really feel “uninterested” when they consider race within the U.S. In the meantime, solely 5% of Democrats really feel “glad” when they consider race.
