What Voters Say About Racism in America

“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, Black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned….,” said the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered to a crowd of about 250,000 at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963.

Sixty-one years after King’s iconic speech, 32,000-plus registered voters across the country answered a question about the seriousness of racism in the U.S. today as part of AP VoteCast’s survey during the 2024 election. Notably, a majority in each of the American Communities Project’s 15 types said that racism is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem in the country. (The other options were “not too serious,” “not at all serious,” and “don’t know”.)  In rural, mostly non-Hispanic white, often religious community types like the Aging Farmlands, LDS Enclaves, and Evangelical Hubs, the percentages stood at 51%, 58%, and 59%, respectively. These were the lowest percentages among the 15 types. Aging Farmlands and Evangelical Hubs also voted for Donald Trump in the highest percentages of the 15.

Percentages who said racism is "not too serious" ranged 23 points, from 15% in the African American South to 38% in the Aging Farmlands. Between 7% and 14% in the community types said "not at all" serious. with Evangelical Hubs at the high end.

Perhaps not surprisingly, in the African American South, 272 rural southern communities where the median African American population is 43%, the percentage who felt racism is “very serious” or “somewhat serious” reached 77%. Other diverse communities with many people of color, including the 48 Big Cities, Urban Suburbs, Hispanic Centers, and Native American Lands, the percentages who said racism is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem was in the 70s. In College Towns, where 10% of the population sits between 20 and 24 years old and part of the most racially and ethnically diverse generation, 72% said racism is very or somewhat serious.

To drill down further, 39% of voters in College Towns said it is a “very serious” problem. In more diverse communities — the African American South, Big Cities, and Native American Lands — the "very serious" percentages climbed into the 40s and near 50%.

Consider that Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary (the most popular dictionary in the U.S.) defines racism as: “a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race” “also: behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief: racial discrimination or prejudice.”

On the behavior point, AP VoteCast also asked participating voters about racism in policing. A majority in 14 of the 15 community types said it was a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem in America. Only Aging Farmlands, among the most sparsely populated communities, came in below, at 42%. Overall, the percentages who said racism in policing is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem were slightly lower than those who said that racism in general is a very or somewhat serious problem. The exception was the Native American Lands, where the percentage for racism in policing dropped to 58%, from 72% on the broader racism question. The African American South and the Big Cities, where there have been many high-profile examples, the percentages were at the high end, at 74% and 72% respectively.

Discussing Racism and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Initiatives

While the 2024 election results were highly fueled by voters’ economic pain, racism and diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) initiatives to address it especially after George Floyd's murder have been and continue to be in the issue mix, as the survey results and ongoing discussions show. In the coming weeks, Christopher Rufo, a writer, filmmaker, and conservative activist, plans to meet with President-elect Donald Trump and his team about DEI initiatives. As The Wall Street Journal reported last week: “His stated goal: make America a colorblind society by eliminating rules that mandate behavior or special treatment according to race.”

Meanwhile, Rev. Al Sharpton recently approached the issue from a different angle, probing how much misogyny and race had an impact on Kamala Harris’s election loss. “Are we overlooking some of the things America still has to grapple with and grow into?” Sharpton asked Democratic National Committee chairman contender and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” last week.

O’Malley answered: “I think all of those are factors….We’re not yet the perfect union, are we? There’s a lot of…scars that come along with our painful, 300-year history.” He added that the Democratic Party needs to do a better job protecting voting rights. "What does it say about us as a Party that we'll only go into court in swing districts in swing states to defend voting rights?"

While communities all across the country make clear that racism continues to be a national problem, what this means and what follows in order to realize America’s promise remain open questions for Americans to work out next.