Americans feel slightly more positive about race relations in their country than they did in previous years, according to The Gallup Minority Relations poll, conducted in June. Large majorities of Americans believe that relations among the races and ethnic groups are good. In most cases, results are fairly similar regardless of which group is being surveyed.
Relations between four pairings were considered: whites and blacks, whites and Hispanics, whites and Asians, and blacks and Hispanics. White-Asian relations are viewed most positively and black-Hispanic relations viewed least positively.
Sixty-eight per cent of Americans rate relations between blacks and whites as good, while 30% say they are bad. Blacks are less likely (59%) to feel that relations are good. The proportion feeling that relations between whites and Asians are good has risen by 5% since 2002, to 82%.
Black-Hispanic relations receive the lowest ratings of the four pairs assessed, with 60% of Americans thinking they are good, but among the two groups themselves ratings are more encouraging: blacks (72%) and Hispanics (71%) give quite positive ratings and it is whites (55%) who view black-Hispanic relations more negatively. The 60% itself represents a steep rise from 49% in 2001, the first year the Minority Relations poll was conducted, and 53% in 2002.
Would you say relations between these groups are...?
Whites and Blacks | Whites and Hispanics | Whites and Asians | Blacks and Hispanics | |
% | % | % | % | |
Very/somewhat good | 68 | 73 | 82 | 60 |
Very/somewhat bad | 30 | 24 | 13 | 30 |
No opinion | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.
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