No Progress, Just More Pessimism

A study by the Pew Research Center released Tuesday showed that blacks are more pessimistic about racial progress than they were 20 years ago.

Just 20 percent of blacks said things are better for blacks now than they were five years ago. That figure is the lowest it has been in the last 20 years. In 1983, 20 percent of blacks surveyed were also pessimistic about racial progress.

The survey also found blacks no longer view themselves as a single race. There is more cultural and economic diversity within the black community, but respondents said class issues between poor and middle income blacks is the source of the chasm within the community.

Key Findings

• 53% surveyed said blacks can still be thought of as a single race. 37% said otherwise.
• 30% of blacks said discrimination is the reason most African-Americans don’t get ahead.
• 53 % said each individual is responsible for the outcome of their own fate.
• 76% of blacks said Barack Obama is a good influence on the black community
• 87 % said Oprah was also a good influence
• Just 17% thought rapper 50 Cent was a good influence.

Read the full report here.