Research & Studies

Data Shows Recent Increases in Enrollment, Persistence, and Retention of Black College Students

From the Spring 2025 to Spring 2026 semesters, Black undergraduate enrollment increased by 3.4 percent and Black graduate enrollment increased by 6.5 percent. There were also notable increases in the number of Black students who persisted to their second year of postsecondary education.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Report Assess AI Readiness at HBCUs

Although some 75 percent of surveyed leaders at TMCF member institutions reported using AI on a daily or weekly basis in early 2026, many of these colleges and universities operate without an institutional strategy for AI implementation.

UCLA Report Examines Racial Diversity in 2025 Streaming Films

Of the 89 English-language streaming original films released in 2025, 16.9 percent featured Black lead actors and/or actresses, 14.3 percent were directed by Black filmmakers, and 8.7 percent were written by Black screenwriters. Overall BIPOC representation among streaming film leads, directors, and writers has declined over the past year.

The Financial Health of Private Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The 2026 College Financial Grades report from Forbes ranks the fiscal stability of more than 900 private colleges and universities across the country. Morehouse College, Rust College, and Fisk University are the most financial healthy HBCUs in the country, according to the list.

Few African Americans Among U.S. Senate Committees’ Top Staff

Of the 37 Senate staff directors in committee offices, only one is African American. Among the 88 other Senate committee top staff positions, only two are held by Black Americans.

Study Analyzes the Recent Increase in Black Suburban Populations

In 1970, nearly half of all Black people in the United States lived in a large city. Now, only a quarter of Black Americans live in large cities. Over the same time period, the share of Black Americans living in the suburbs rose from 16 percent to 36 percent.

Ranking U.S. States on Racial Equality in Education

According to a new WalletHub analysis of all 50 states' education systems, Wyoming has the overall most racial equality in education, followed by West Virginia and New Mexico, In contrast, racial equality in education is the lowest in Wisconsin, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

Report Outlines the Recent Gains and Persistent Disparities in Higher Education for Black Californians

“Higher education remains one of California’s most powerful equity levers for expanding economic opportunity, earning potential, and upward mobility,” the report authors write. “However, the full promise of higher education can only be achieved when Black students are equipped with the resources, support, and institutional commitment to thrive.”

New Census Statistics Show Black Enrollments at All Levels of Education

African Americans made up a larger percentage of school students at every level of education compared to the Black percentage of the U.S. population. Black Americans made up a larger percentage of students enrolled in higher education than they did in elementary or secondary education.

What’s Driving the Significantly Low Employment Rate Among Black Men?

In 2025, 79.3 percent of prime age (25 to 54 years old) Black men were employed. This is roughly 8 to 9 percentage points less than the employment rates of similarly aged Hispanic men (87.2 percent), White men (87.4 percent), and Asian men (88.8 percent).

Research Highlights How Racial Bias in Pulse Oximeters Affects Black Patients

Pulse oximeter devices often give artificially high blood oxygen levels for people with darker skin because the melanin in their skin absorbs light differently than lighter skin. Thus, Black patients who need supplemental oxygen are likely missing out on crucial follow-up care.

Report Examines the Underfunding of Boston’s Nonprofits Focused on Women and Girls of Color

Of Greater Boston's $112 billion in total nonprofit revenue in 2023, only $1 billion went to women- and girls-serving organizations. Just $25 million went to groups specifically focused on women and girls of color.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Report Examines the Research Capacity at HBCUs

“The question is not whether HBCUs can produce rigorous science. They already do,” said M.C. Brown II, executive director of the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center. “The question is whether we — the research enterprise and the nation — will choose to invest in them as the strategic national assets they are.”

Are Medical Schools Still Practicing Race-Sensitive Admissions?

April Bleske-Rechek of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Jukka Savolainen of Wayne State University in Detroit argue that Black students are overrepresented in U.S. medical schools because they represent a small share of top-performing high school students in Advanced Placement STEM exams.

Analysis of Police Body-Cam Footage Reveals Significant Racial Disparities in Officer Interactions

In an analysis of recordings from New York Police Department body-worn cameras, researchers found that encounters with Black and Hispanic civilians that are documented as low-level encounters more often resemble detentions in their language, including direct commands in interactions that should be voluntary.

The Racial Gap in Maternal Mortality Rates by Education Level

For Black women with a college degree, the maternal mortality rate in 2019 was 26.21 per 100,000 women. This was more than four times the rate for White women with a college degree.

Fatal Police Shootings Are More Common in Counties With Greater Income Inequality

According to a new study, areas in the United States with greater income inequality experience a significantly higher rate of fatal police shootings. This pattern is particularly pronounced among Black Americans.

Report Discusses How to Prevent AI From Widening the Racial Wealth Gap

Yvette Pappoe of the University of the District of Columbia is the lead author of a new report that outlines how companies and policymakers can establish transparency and accountability in artificial intelligence algorithms used in housing, lending, and employment.

UCLA Study Analyzes HIV-Criminalization Among Black Americans

Compared to other Americans, Black Americans are more likely to live with HIV and experience greater police surveillance. Together, these twin epidemics have placed Black Americans living with HIV at an increase risk of criminal justice system involvement.

Pew Research Center Examines How Black Americans Define Family

Black Americans are more likely than other adults in the United States to say their family includes at least one person who is not a direct relative. They are also more likely to feel close to extended family members and more likely to provide their family members with financial support.
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