Six in 10 Americans Say Racism Against Blacks Is Widespread
by Jeffrey M. Jones
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Perceptions of racism against blacks remain elevated at 61%
* 41% say racism against whites is widespread, up from 2015
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Six in 10 Americans say racism against blacks is widespread in the U.S., similar to the percentage measured last year but higher than what Gallup found in 2008-2009, the most recent prior measures. At the same time, 41% say racism against whites is widespread, a return to previous levels after the measure dipped to 33% last year.
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The latest results are based on Gallup's Minority Rights and Relations survey, conducted June 7-July 1 with 3,270 U.S. adults, including 1,320 non-Hispanic whites and 912 non-Hispanic blacks.
Americans' perceptions of widespread racism against blacks remain elevated this year after an uptick last year, likely in response to the highly publicized incidents in which black men were killed in confrontations with white police officers in 2014 and early 2015. The increase in perceptions of racism against blacks in 2015 was not as dramatic as the changes in Americans' assessments of black-white relations in last year's survey, for example, perhaps because the majority of Americans already thought racism was widespread.
There have been more recent deadly encounters between police and citizens this summer, including incidents in Dallas and Louisiana in which black men shot and killed white police officers, but those occurred after interviewing for the poll finished July 1.
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http://www.gallup.com/poll/194657/six-americans-say-racism-against-blacks-widespread.aspx