REPORT: You’ll Never Guess How Many White People Say They Support #BlackLivesMatter

By Kenrya Rankin Jun 28, 2016

A new report from Pew Research Center shows just how far apart Black and White Americans are when it comes to their views on race.

Not only did the survey—which tapped 3,769 adults—find that Black and White respondents hold completely different stances on how much work the nation still needs to do to achieve racial equity, but it also revealed that the groups don’t harbor the same level of hope that the work will actually be done.

While 38 percent of Whites surveyed think the nation has made all the changes necessary to provide equal rights, just 8 percent of Blacks agree. And while 42 percent of Blacks and 40 percent of Whites think that change will eventually come, a whopping 43 percent of Blacks think there will never be racial equity. Just 11 percent of Whites feel the same way.

When asked about the state of race relations as a whole, 46 percent of White people said they are “generally good” and 45 percent say they are “generally bad.” Six in ten Blacks say they are bad, to just 34 percent who say they are good. And 41 percent of Whites say there is “too much focus on race and racial issues.”

Respondents also gave their opinion on how President Barack Obama impacted race relations. Fully half of Blacks said he made progress toward improvement, versus just 28 percent of Whites. And 32 and 5 percent of Whites and Blacks, respectively, said he actually made the situation worse.

Researchers also asked a set of questions about the Black Lives Matter Movement. A full 65 percent of Black people said they support the movement, while 12 percent oppose it. Fifty-nine percent think it will be effective in achieving equality. Forty percent of Whites said they at least somewhat support the movement, and 34 percent think it will help bring about change.

From police violence to loan applications to voting, the report also revealed huge differences in how the groups perceive the lived experiences of Black people in this country:

Perceptions of how blacks are treated in the U.S. vary widely by race

Click here to read the full report.