American history is many things: complex, glorious and violent. One thing that is undeniable about our country’s history—despite major political efforts to deny it—is that racial injustice is woven into the fabric of American life. We have come a long way since slavery: we’ve ended de jure segregation, we’ve had a Black president and Black Americans are experiencing advancements in areas like health and economic standing. However, these achievements do not mean we have magically eradicated antiblack racism in the United States.
The National Urban League released their annual State of Black America report Friday, detailing the socioeconomic standings of Black America over the course of the last year. This year’s report reflects specifically on how Black America has progressed in the 60 years since the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
One of the key findings in the report came from the Equality Index, used as a reference of Black Americans’ economic and social status in comparison to white Americans’. The Equality Index is measured semianually by the NUL using hundreds of datasets, and the most recent data puts the Index 75.7 (out of 100), an increase of just under two percent from the 2022 Index. NUL President and CEO Marc Morial said the rate of progress leaves much to be desired.
Image: courtesy of the National Urban League
“In 20 years, the overall Equality Index has moved 2.7 percent,” Morial said. “At this rate, it will take another 180 years to achieve parity.”
This contradiction of progress and obstacles is evident in throughout the report’s findings: in the Health and Economics categories, the NUL found improvement of nearly 10 percentage points in each of those categories between 2005 and 2024.
According to the National Medical Association, only 5.7% of American physicians are Black, improvements in the Health category will undoubtedly reduce barriers Black Americans face, like environmental racism. The amount of Black first-year medical students increased between 2020 and 2021, which will eventually mean more Black physicians, who are more likely to connect with and understand Black patients according to the American Association of Medical Colleges.
But other areas of the Equity Index are less promising: Education showed a two percent decrease over the same time frame, and social justice went from 67.5% in 2005 to 55.7% in 2024, as showcased in the report.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a huge surprise. There are many factors at play: there’s conservative attacks on DEI initiatives in universities in states, from Texas to Idaho. The Supreme Court ended Affirmative Action last year. The school-to-prison pipeline chugs along. It makes sense that growth in the Education department for Black Americans is difficult to achieve.
“The Civil Rights Act of 1964 promised ‘a more abiding commitment to freedom, a more constant pursuit of justice and a deeper respect for human dignity,” Morial said. “Sixty years later, our ‘abiding commitment to freedom’ is undermined by discriminatory voter ID laws, gerrymandering, the shuttering of polling places in predominantly minority neighborhoods, limits on early voting and reckless purging of voter rolls.”
Image: courtesy of the National Urban League
The report is a stark reminder of the intricate tapestry of progression and regression that define our nation’s slow journey towards racial equality. While a small gain is still a gain, it’s impossible to ignore the relentless assaults on education and equality. The State of Black America report shows that we need to continue to encourage policymakers to move beyond rhetoric of “woke culture wars” and enact tangible change. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, let’s strive for a future where justice, dignity and freedom are not just ideals, but lived realities for Black Americans.
