Americans Pessimistic About U.S. Race Relations on Eve of Biden Inauguration

Joe Biden campaigned for president on a promise to unite Americans of all races, but on the eve of Biden’s inauguration, Americans remain pessimistic about racial relations in the United States.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that only 30% rate race relations in America today as good or excellent. Thirty-three percent (33%) rate race relations as poor. {snip}

Fifty percent (50%) say race relations in America today are getting worse, and only 19% think race relations are getting better. The numbers haven’t changed much since we last asked these questions in January 2019. However, Americans have become more pessimistic about racial relations in the past decade; in 2011, 38% said race relations were getting better and just 29% said things were getting worse.

Remarkably, whites are more pessimistic about U.S. race relations than black people and other minorities. Just 26% of whites say race relations are good or excellent, compared to 32% of blacks and 39% of other minorities.

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Opinions about race relations in America vary according to party affiliation. Forty-two percent (42%) of Democrats rate U.S. race relations as poor, compared to just 28% of Republicans and 27% of those unaffiliated with either major party.

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