Racial Gap

Research Finds Washington, D.C. Has the Highest Racial Wealth Gap in the United States

In our nation's capital, White people earn about 64 percent more than Black people. Compared to White residents, Black residents of Washington, D.C. have a 374 percent higher poverty rate, are 61 percent less likely to have a bachelor's degree, and are 263 percent more likely to be unemployed.

Federal Data Shows Significantly Higher Divorce Rates Among Parents of Black Children

Nearly one-third of Americans born between 1988 and 1993 experience their parents' divorce in childhood. However, the impact of divorce is not spread evenly across racial groups, with 45 percent of Black children in this cohort experiencing divorce, compared to 30 percent of both White and Hispanic children and 17 percent of Asian children.

Federal Commission Reports on the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Black Boys in the United States

“Education was meant to be a gateway to opportunity, not a sorting mechanism that determines who is punished and who is protected,” said Mark Spencer of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. “Our findings show that too many Black boys are still denied fairness at the very start of their educational journey.”

Joint Center Report Finds Significantly High Unemployment Rate Among Black Americans

“Regression is not destiny. But neither is progress automatic,” writes Joint Center chief of staff Monica Mitchell. “The path from signs of a Black recession to genuine economic security requires confronting the structural barriers this report documents.”

States That Are Making Progress in Reducing Racial Disparities

According to new research from WalletHub, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas have made the most progress in reducing disparities between their Black and White residents over the past five decades.

Study Finds Significant Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs for Black Families

According to new survey from the Afterschool Alliance, parents of some 5.7 million Black children want to enroll them in afterschool activities, yet only 1.3 million Black children currently attend such programs.

Report Finds Little Progress in Top-Grossing Movies Made by Non-White Directors

In 2025, 24.3 percent of the 111 directors who made the 100 top-performing films were made by a director of an underrepresented racial background. Just 43 Black men and 11 Black women have directed a movie included in the 1,900 top-performing films since 2007.

Research Finds Major Declines in Black Student Enrollment and Black Faculty at the University of Missouri

While total student enrollment at the University of Missouri has declined by roughly 10 percent over the past decade, Black student enrollment has decreased by about 34 percent. Only 85 of more than 2,200 current faculty members are Black. Just 36 of these Black faculty members have tenure or tenure-track status.

More Black Students Applied, but Fewer Were Accepted to U.S. Medical Schools in 2025

For the 2025-2026 academic year, Black students represented 11.3 percent of all applicants, but only 8.4 percent of all matriculants to medical schools in the United States. This is a significant decline from 2021-2022, when Black students' representation among medical school matriculants peaked at 11.7 percent.

Report Finds Significantly Higher Burden of Cancer Deaths Among African Americans

In addition to Black adults' overall higher cancer mortality rate compared to White adults, a new report from the American Cancer Society found significant cancer mortality rate disparities within the Black American population based on education.

How Racial Representation Impacts African Americans’ Trust in Scientific Institutions

For decades, research has documented African Americans' lower levels of trust in scientific institutions compared to Americans of other racial groups. According to a new study, this may be largely due to the persistent lack of racial diversity in the STEM workforce.

An Update on the Racial Gap in Six-Year College Completion Rates

Overall, 61.1 percent of college students who began their postsecondary education in fall 2019 graduated within six years. However, for Black students, just 44.0 percent completed their degree by 2025 - the lowest completion rate among all major racial groups.

Across Income Levels, African American Families Have Higher Utility Bills Than Other Households

While the average U.S. household spends 3.2 percent of their income on utility bills, Black households spend an average of 5.1 percent of their income on energy expenses. This disparity holds true even when comparing households in majority-White and majority-Black neighborhoods with similar income levels.

Black Students Are Less Likely Than Their Peers to Take Algebra Before High School

Even among schools' top performing students, Black students are significantly less likely than their Asian, White, and Latino peers to take algebra in eighth grade. This leads to unequal access to advanced math courses in high school, putting Black students at a disadvantage when applying to college.

Differences in Black and White Americans’ Trust in Genetic Research

Compared to White Americans, Black Americans are less likely to trust the information provided by medical professionals and scientific literature regarding genetic medicine, which could be contributing to their underrepresentation in genetic research.

Ivy League Study Uncovers Racial Disparities in Premature Mortality

A team of scholars from Brown University and Harvard University has found premature deaths—those occurring before age 65—have steadily increased in the United States in recent years, particularly among Black Americans.

Black Families Are Disproportionately Denied From Victim Compensation Claims

In 1984, the Victims of Crime Act established victim compensation programs to support victims and families of violent crime. Although Black families are more likely to file victim compensation claims, they are less likely to have their claims approved than White families.

Recent Declines in Black First-Year Enrollments at Highly Selective Colleges and Universities

Many Ivy League institutions, major research universities, and highly-selective liberal arts colleges across the United States have experienced sharp declines in Black first-year student enrollments since the Supreme Court's 2023 decision to end affirmative action.

Study Finds Performance-Based State Funding Policies Lead to Declines in Black Undergraduate Enrollment

According to a new study from scholars at the University of Illinois, highly-visible public universities in states that have adopted performance-based funding policies have experienced declines in their Black undergraduate enrollment.

How Black Immigrants Are Changing the Black-White Earnings Gap

According to a new economics study, second-generation Black immigrant women have achieved earnings that are higher than or equal to White American women in recent years. Second-generation Black men achieved similar progress, particularly among workers at the top 10 percent of income distribution.
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Loren J. Blanchard Appointed President of California State University, Long Beach

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Dr. Blanchard has served as president of the University of Houston-Downtown for the past five years. He is slated to assume the presidency of California State University, Long Beach on May 1.

Tougaloo College Announces Three Finalists for President

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Historically Black Tougaloo College in Mississippi has announced a field of three finalists to become the fifteenth president of the educational institution. In March, a candidate is expected to be chosen to become president.

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