Research & Studies

The Black-White infant mortality gap has significantly increased since the 1950s. As of the 2010s, Black infants are more than twice as likely to die as White infants in the United States.

There are currently 31 Black women serving in the 119th Congress: two senators, two non-voting delegates, and 27 members of the House of Representatives. Of the 64 Black women to ever serve in the U.S. Congress, over half have been elected within the past 12 years.

An observational study from the University of Notre Dame's Gwendolyn Purifoye and Morehouse College's Derrick Brooms has found that Black men - both passengers and transit workers - are frequently ignored and discriminated by others while using public transportation.

In a study of NYC public schools, more positive teacher perceptions of school climate, higher years of teaching experience, and a greater share of Black teachers resulted in lower discipline rates for all students, and especially for Black and Latinx students.

In an online experiment using two short documentary films, viewers consistently rated Black women scientists as less warm and less competent than Black men and White scientists of both genders, particularly when they introduced a White test subject.

When an online platform uses a five-star rating scale, non-White gig workers receive lower ratings, on average, than their White counterparts, resulting in a 9 percentage point income gap. However, changing the rating scale to a simple thumbs up/thumbs down nearly eliminates this racial disparity.

"Investing in HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs yields exponential returns, as these institutions serve as engines of economic growth, social mobility, and ladders of opportunity for millions of students and their communities," write the authors. "Their work goes beyond addressing historical inequities; it is essential to building a stronger, more inclusive, and more competitive future for the nation."

As of 2023, the homeownership rate of Black Americans is 44.7 percent - significantly lower than that of White (72.4 percent), Asian (63.4 percent) and Hispanic (51.0 percent) Americans.

"For many Black soldiers, the Great War entailed a battle not only against German aggression abroad, but also against racial oppression at home," the study authors write.

In total, historically Black community colleges received over $2.7 billion in federal relief funding during the pandemic. Nearly $800 million was issued for direct student aid disbursements and $1.9 billion was allocated for institutional spending.

In 2000, over 93 percent of all Black Americans identified as single-race Black. By 2023, their share dropped to 82 percent, with over 11 percent of Black Americans identifying as multi-racial and over 6 percent identifying as Black Hispanic.

Despite the significant financial challenges and lack of resources at historically Black colleges and universities, Black students at HBCUs are more likely to experience better mental health outcomes than their peers at other institutions.

Authored by researchers from the American Council on Education and UCLA, the "Understanding the Entering Class of 2024" report examines the experiences and perspectives of incoming college freshman, including differences between students of different racial backgrounds.

The "Black Minds Matter 2025" report from EdTrust-West has outlined the state of education for Black Californians, documenting the barriers facing Black students in TK-12 and higher education settings.

Similar to other major racial groups, there has been a declining trend in Black Americans who are religiously affiliated and a rising trend in those who are religiously unaffiliated.

Roughly 52 percent of Black students applying to college through Common App express interest in majoring in STEMM disciplines. However, only 28 percent of these students go on to graduate with a STEMM degree within six years.

According to data from Pew Research Center, the Black population is growing the fastest in Utah, which experienced an 85 percent increase in Black residents between 2010 and 2023.

While both Black men and women study participants reported similar experiences with childhood trauma, the association between past trauma and heart complications was only found among Black women.

The share of colleges and universities in the United States that offer on-campus child care services has dropped significantly over the past two decades, limiting the educational opportunities for Black student parents, who represent a significant portion of all college student parents.

The study authors argue that "there is no justification needed [to explain present-day racial health disparities] beyond the key role of structural racism experienced directly by African Americans today."