Research & Studies

Study Finds That Having a Black Doctor Reduces the Infant Mortality Rate of Black Newborns

In the United States, Black newborns die at three times the rate of White newborns. But a new study finds that "clinical penalties for Black newborns treated by Black physicians are halved compared with the penalties Black newborns experience when cared for by White physicians."

The Huge Racial Gap in Graduate School Student Debt

African Americans who earned doctorates in 2019 had an average graduate student debt of $84,050. Nearly 21 percent of African Americans who earned doctorates in 2019, had graduate student debt of more than $160,000.

University of Minnesota Project Looks at How Interstate Highway Construction Affected Blacks

When constructing the system through urban areas, planners often chose routes that went through the poorest and predominantly Black neighborhoods. It was cheaper to obtain property in these neighborhoods and planners believed they would meet minimal resistance from residents and political leaders in these areas.

Study Says Empathy Scores Should Be a Part of Holistic Admissions Process for Medical Schools

In a study sponsored by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, researchers surveyed 3,616 first‐year, 2,764 second‐year, 2,413 third‐year, and 1,958 fourth‐year medical students to determine their levels of empathy. African American students scored the highest on the empathy index, while Asian Americans scored the lowest.

Racial Differences in the Age of Doctoral Degree Recipients in the United States

On average, Whites who earned doctorates were 31.6 years old when they received their doctoral degrees. For African Americans, the average age was 36.1. But when we break the figures down by age group, we see more pronounced differences.

College Athletic Powerhouses Making Progress in Racial Equity in Leadership Posts

Of the 130 colleges and universities that make up the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, nine have a Black or African American president or chancellor. This is up from five a year ago.

Fatalities From Work-Related Injuries Increasing for Black Americans

In 2019, 634 African Americans died as a result of work-related injuries. The number of African American fatalities has increased by 28 percent since 2015. This is more than double the increase for the population as a whole.

The Year in Review: Notable Research on African Americans in Higher Education in 2020

Over the course of 2020, JBHE has published a large number of posts highlighting research on African Americans in higher education. In case readers missed some of these posts, here are links to some of the items published over the past year.

Academic Disciplines Where African Americans Received Few or No Doctorates in 2019

In 2019 there were 2,512 African Americans who earned doctorates. They made up 7.1 percent of all doctorates awarded to U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the U.S. But there are many fields where Blacks earned only a tiny percentage of all doctorates. For example, African Americans earned only one percent of physics doctorates.

The Racial Gap in Attendance and Absenteeism in Public Schools

New data from the California Department of Education shows that prior to the pandemic Black students missed an average of 13.2 days of school each year. White students were absent, on average for 9.1 school days. For Black students, 52.7 percent of all absences were unexcused compared to 29.4 percent for White students.

The 21 Historically Black Universities That Awarded Doctoral Degrees in 2019

All told, 21 HBCUs awarded doctoral degrees in 2019. This is the same number of doctoral degree-granting institutions as five years ago in 2014. That year HBCUs awarded 448 doctoral degrees. In 2019, HBCUs gave out 437 doctorates.

Positive Identity Reinforcement at School Improves Black Students Academic Performance

A new longitudinal study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh shows that African American youth who receive positive messages about their racial group in school achieved better school grades one to two years later.

UCLA Study Finds Stimulus Package Widened Racial Economic Inequality

The UCLA analysis of disparities in the distribution of Paycheck Protection Program Funds, when standardized on a per-resident basis, found that the federal loans supported 5.8 jobs per 100 residents in Black neighborhoods, compared with 8.1 per 100 residents in White communities.

African Americans Making Slow but Steady Progress in Doctoral Degree Awards

There were 2,512 African Americans who earned doctorates in 2019. They made up 7.1 percent of all doctorates awarded to U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States. Women made up 64.3 percent of all African Americans earning doctorates in 2019.

Graduation Rates of Students at State-Operated Historically Black Universities

A few of the nation's private historically Black colleges and universities have achieved progress in graduating their Black students. But at most of the nation's state-operated historically Black colleges and universities, the graduation rates remain very low.

UCLA Study Finds Persisting Racism Among the Millennial Generation

The researchers sent 4,000 responses to real “roommate wanted” ads posted by millennials. They used names that signaled the race of the room seekers. The results showed that White-sounding names received the most responses, while those that signaled Black roommates got fewer responses.

The Persisting Racial Gap in College Graduation Rates at Flagship State Universities

At 21 flagship state universities in states with large Black populations, 15 have a racial graduation rate gap of 10 or more percentage points. The widest gap is at the University of Mississippi. There the Black graduation rate of 42 percent is 23 percentage points below the rate for White students.

Racial Microaggressions May Be Pushing Black Students Out of STEM Disciplines

The study by researchers at the University of Illinois found when students of color in STEM majors felt excluded, invisible, or isolated on their college campus because of their race, sometimes combined with discouraging experiences in academic settings, they were less likely to continue in STEM.

The Impact of Education and Race on Tobacco Use by American Adults

In 2019, 20.7 percent of African American adults used tobacco products compared to 23.3 percent of non-Hispanic White adults. White adults were nearly seven times as likely as Black adults to use smokeless tobacco products.

Grading the Nation Top-Ranked Universities on Graduating Their Black Students

All of the 20 highest-ranked universities in the United States according to ratings by U.S. News & World Report have Black student graduation rates far higher than the national average of 48 percent. Harvard has the highest rate at 98 percent, followed by Yale and Princeton.
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