As a researcher, I take for granted having easy access to high-quality data. There is a tremendous amount of data – going back decades – demonstrating the difference in the lived experience of white and Black people in the US. Frankly, I just assumed people weren’t interested in seeing it.
However, I take it at face value when someone tells me that they honestly didn’t know. In some ways, this isn’t even surprising. There is research indicating that about 3 out of 4 white people don’t have a single Black friend. So, there are a lot of opportunities not to know.
For people who want to learn more, here is a BRIEF list of differences. Most of this information is from research performed at my company, but some are from broader sources, like the Census Bureau.
Inequity in economic opportunity for Black individuals
– Black/African Americans are nearly three times as likely to live in poverty as White residents in Jefferson County, Kentucky (31% vs. 12%; source: U.S. Census Bureau)
– The median income of White households is 1.9 times that of Black households in Lexington, Kentucky (White = $61,575; Black = $32,384)
Inequity in work experiences for Black individuals
– In a recent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) assessment we conducted, 81% of White males felt their managers treated all employees fairly in comparison to only 67% of Black females who felt similarly.
– In another DE&I study we conducted, we found that many Black employees felt uncomfortable in their previous year at work because of their race: one in four Black employees indicated this was the case for them in comparison to only 5% of white employees.
– In our research on the experiences of Black women in the professional workplace, 91% of Black women indicated that they face unique challenges, with 88% of them calling out issues like racially based pay inequity and lack of opportunity.
– While white and Black women in professional roles were equally likely to receive formal training, we found that white women received informal training at higher rates (57% white, 49% Black), and they also received more opportunities to take on assignments specifically to expand their skillsets (62% white, 53% Black).
These statistics aren’t isolated. I focus on statistics generated through studies conducted by my company because this is a personal blog and I don’t want to go through the effort of citing myriad sources but look for yourself if you are in doubt. Sources such as the Census Bureau, Pew Research, Gallup, and others have published similar findings.