We explore the diverse views and experiences of Black people in America with in-depth surveys and other research. Our work focuses on three themes: Black identity, the economic and social mobility of Black people in America, and Black representation in American political and social life. This work is part of our wider race and ethnicity research portfolio.
Tanya Arditi
tarditi@pewresearch.org
202.419.3623
An estimated 47.9 million people in the U.S. identified as Black in 2022. The Black population has grown by more than 10 million since 2000, when 36.2 million of the U.S. population identified as Black, marking a 32% increase over roughly two decades.
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Nearly six-in-ten want organizations working for Black progress to address the distinct challenges facing Black LGBTQ people.
Black Americans support significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions to ensure fair treatment.
Many Black Americans say they learn about their ancestors and U.S. Black history from family.
Immigrants – particularly those from African nations – are a growing share of the U.S. Black population.
40% of Black Americans say that the issues and events most important to them are often covered, and similar shares of Asian (38%) and Hispanic (37%) adults say the same.
The number of Black people living in the United States reached a new high of 47.9 million in 2022, up about a third (32%) since 2000.
Key statistics and data about the demographic, geographic and economic characteristics of the U.S. Black population.
The number of Black eligible voters in the United States is projected to reach 34.4 million in November 2024 after several years of modest growth.
About four-in-ten Black Americans (39%) say they extremely or fairly often see or hear news coverage about Black people that is racist or racially insensitive.
More Black Americans say health outcomes for Black people in the United States have improved over the past 20 years than say outcomes have worsened.
About one-in-four Black households and one-in-seven Hispanic households had no wealth or were in debt in 2021, compared with about one-in-ten U.S. households overall.
About three-quarters of Black adults in the United States say they see or hear news coverage about their local community at least sometimes.
Black Americans see a range of problems with how Black people are covered in the news. Almost two-thirds of Black adults (63%) say news about Black people is often more negative than news about other racial and ethnic groups. And while few are optimistic that will change in the foreseeable future, many see ways in which that coverage could be improved.
Black workers account for about 13% of all U.S. workers, including those who work full time, part time and are self-employed.
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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
