Poll: U.S. Views on Racism, DEI Shift Sharply Since 2021

Fewer than half of U.S. adults believe Black people face “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of discrimination, a sharp drop from 60% in 2021, according to a new Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.

According to AP News, the shift comes four years after nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd prompted many corporations to launch diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Many of those initiatives have since been rolled back, especially this year, amid political opposition from Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump.

The poll found 45% of Americans now see high levels of discrimination against Black people, down from the spring of 2021. Perceptions of discrimination against Asian Americans also declined — from 45% in 2021, shortly after the Atlanta spa shootings, to 32% now. Views on discrimination against Hispanic people (44%) and white people (15%) remain largely unchanged.

Opinions on DEI’s effectiveness are mixed. About four in 10 U.S. adults say DEI reduces discrimination against Black people, while roughly one-third say the same for Hispanic people, women and Asian Americans. Many — between 33% and 41% — think it makes no difference, and about a quarter believe it increases discrimination.

Skepticism is also present within minority groups. Around 40% of Black adults and one-third of Hispanic adults say DEI efforts increase discrimination against people like them, compared with about one-quarter of white adults.

Some respondents voiced concerns that DEI reinforces stereotypes or leads to hiring based on quotas. Claudine Brider, a Black Democrat from Compton, California, said being in spaces where minorities are underrepresented can lead to assumptions they were hired only to meet diversity goals.

About 3 in 10 Americans — and nearly 4 in 10 white adults — believe DEI increases discrimination against white people.

The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,437 adults from July 10–14 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.