Americans are growing less optimistic about race relations across the nation, with only 51 percent saying Black Americans will “eventually” have the same rights as white Americans, according to a new survey.
The Pew Research Center examined Americans’ views on race, policing and Black Lives Matter five years after the murder of George Floyd found that a staggering 49 percent of Americans doubt that Black people will ever have equal rights with white people. The number is up from 39 percent in 2020.
Though 61 percent of white adults say it is likely Black Americans will eventually have equal rights with white Americans, two-thirds of Black adults say that eventual equality with white people is not at all likely.
Despite the murder of Floyd leading to worldwide protests and proposed legislation demanding police reform, 72 percent of adults say the increased focus on race and racial inequality did not lead to changes that improved the lives of Black people.
Forty-three percent of adults said the country hasn’t made enough progress on racial equality, a slight decrease from 49 percent in 2020.
But among those who said the country hasn’t gone far enough, many pointed to the actions and rhetoric of President Trump, including his attempts to limit diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
A majority of adults said Trump will make things worse.
Only 28 percent of adults say Trump will make things better when it comes to issues related to race.
The number fluctuates based on party, with 53 percent of adults who identify as or lean Republican saying the president will make things better.
Only 5 percent of Democrats agreed.
Overall, the survey found, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to feel angry when thinking about race in the U.S. Republicans are more likely to feel uninterested.
At 69 percent, Black Americans were most likely to say there is not enough attention given to issues related to race. Forty-nine percent of white Americans said too much attention is given to issues related to race.
The disparity was pronounced even more when split by party affiliation.
Among adults who identify as or lean Democratic, only 17 percent said too much attention is given to issues related to race. But 66 percent of adults who identify as or lean Republican said too much attention is given to issues related to race.
Pew Research Center surveyed 5,097 adults between Feb. 10-17. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other factors.
