Executive Summary

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

 

Black Women in the United States, 2024, is the eleventh annual report by the Black Women’s Roundtable. It specifically examines the overall conditions and policy concerns of Black women throughout the nation. The report could not be timelier, as the country is balancing attacks against civil rights protections for Black people and other minoritized groups, with expressions of a refusal to turn back the hands of time. As we navigate a highly consequential Presidential election, we must ignore the attempts of political division and focus on the issues that really matter.  

This year's report highlights the needs and conditions of Black women in the United States. It shares the voice, expertise and uniquely distinct experience of Black women along with detailed analyses and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the well-being of Black women and families across various issues. The contributors to this year’s report provide insights on the five categories listed below.  

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PARTICIPATE

Lead, Organize & Vote 

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• The historic nomination of Kamala Harris as the first Black and South Asian woman presidential candidate is a culmination of the tireless efforts and sacrifices of Black women throughout American history. This milestone reflects the significant political influence of Black women, who have consistently demonstrated strong voter turnout and leadership, paving the way for greater representation and impact in U.S. politics.

• In 2024, a record 1,152 Black women are running for office across various levels, showing increased engagement compared to previous years, though many face hurdles including limited party support and attacks based on race and gender. Despite these challenges, Black women are winning elections at a high rate, with notable successes including the advancement of Angela Alsobrooks and Valerie McCray for the U.S. Senate, and Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for President. 

• Being young, gifted, and Black carries significant power in shaping the future, underscoring the necessity for leaders to address the genuine needs and aspirations of this demographic. Key areas of focus include ensuring access to affordable education, closing the racial wealth gap, advocating for reproductive justice, and actively engaging young Black voters in the political process to drive meaningful change and hold leaders accountable. 

• As Election Day approaches, Black women face an unprecedented political climate marked by attacks on civil rights and a rollback of DEI initiatives, with nearly 300 restrictive voting bills introduced across 40 states. Historically, Black women have been pivotal in the political process, and their high voter turnout and representation have led to substantial policy changes; thus, their engagement on November 5th will be crucial in shaping the future of the nation and defending democratic rights. 

• As the 2024 Presidential election nears, Black voters are focused on economic, racial, and healthcare issues, with dissatisfaction growing over unmet promises made by the Biden Administration. Black Generation Z, in particular, is poised to play a crucial role, seeking candidates who address job security, racial equality, and healthcare effectively, and may turn away from parties failing to align with their concerns. 

• As the 2024 elections approach, the urgent issue of family caregiving—encompassing childcare, elder care, and paid family leave—takes center stage, highlighting the need for comprehensive policies that support families without sacrificing wages. The lack of such policies, which disproportionately affects low-income individuals and women of color, underscores the critical need for voters to elect leaders who will address these gaps and invest in a more equitable and supportive caregiving system. 

• Misinformation and disinformation, particularly targeting Black Americans through social media and foreign influence, have significantly undermined trust in elections and voter participation since 2016. With the rise of generative AI, there are heightened concerns about further exploitation and deception in political campaigns, prompting federal efforts to increase transparency and protect voters, especially within the Black community, from AI-driven disinformation. 

• The Black vote is crucial in determining the next president, but recent polling shows a significant drop in Black voter enthusiasm for the 2024 election, with a notable decline among young Black voters. Key issues for Black Americans include the economy, racial discrimination, healthcare, and foreign policy concerns like climate change and weapons proliferation, highlighting the need for candidates to address both domestic and global issues in their campaigns. 

 

PROTECT

Our Rights, Freedoms & Democracy 

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• Voting is crucial for shaping American democracy and ensuring that its principles of equity and justice are upheld, as the struggle for civil rights and inclusive progress continues. Despite historical advances, recent court decisions and political actions have threatened key freedoms and rights, making it essential for every generation to actively participate in elections to defend and advance the ideals of a fair and inclusive society. 

• Historically, the U.S. federal judiciary has been predominantly White and male, with significant strides in diversity only recently, including the appointment of a record number of Black women judges by President Biden. Federal judicial appointments profoundly impact American law and policy, making it crucial for voters to participate in elections to influence the selection of fair and impartial judges who will address key issues such as voting rights and affirmative action. 

• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and subsequent legal rulings transformed American democracy by expanding voting rights and addressing discriminatory practices like racial gerrymandering. However, recent Supreme Court decisions, including Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. DNC, have weakened these protections, making it more challenging to address voting discrimination and impacting the ability of minority voters to elect their preferred candidates. 

• Since the Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013 weakened voting rights protections, efforts to limit the voting power of communities of color through redistricting and gerrymandering have intensified, resulting in significant racial disparities in voter turnout. Organizations like ProGeorgia are actively working to combat these challenges by investing in fair redistricting and voter engagement to ensure equitable representation and protect the voting rights of marginalized communities. 

• Systemic issues within the criminal justice system disproportionately affect Black communities, resulting in higher arrest rates, harsher punishments, and ongoing post-incarceration barriers that limit access to housing, employment, and education. Clean Slate laws, which automatically clear eligible arrest and conviction records, have proven effective in offering a second chance and are crucial for addressing these disparities and breaking the cycle of poverty and recidivism for millions of Black Americans. 

• Project 2025, driven by conservative groups, seeks to reshape federal policies in ways that could significantly undermine civil rights protections and exacerbate disparities for Black women. The agenda includes reducing access to healthcare and social services, influencing judicial appointments to favor conservative views, and worsening economic inequalities, potentially rolling back progress on racial and gender equity and increasing barriers to essential support and legal protections. 

 

PRESERVE

Black History, Media & Culture 

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• The attempt to erase Black history and contributions is a form of violence, reflecting a deeper discomfort with acknowledging that the United States' successes are deeply intertwined with Black Americans' experiences and struggles. Embracing and teaching the full scope of American history, including Black contributions, is essential for national growth, healing, and recognizing the complete truth of our shared past. 

• During the 17th and 18th centuries, the European Enlightenment fostered scientific racism and sexism, classifying people of African descent and women as inferior based on flawed biological theories. Despite these historical prejudices, Black women have continually resisted and fought against such discrimination, exemplified by figures like Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and current Democratic Presidential Nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, who broke barriers in politics and demonstrated the ongoing resilience needed to challenge and overcome these entrenched ideologies. 

• The alliance among non-White communities, often termed "BIPOC" or "People of Color," aims to counteract Us vs. Them identity politics by fostering solidarity among diverse racial and ethnic groups. However, this broad categorization can dilute distinct identities and obscure specific experiences of anti-Black racism, potentially undermining efforts to address the unique struggles faced by individual communities and perpetuating a homogenized view of racial oppression. 

 

PRESERVE

Affordable Healthcare, Mental & Maternal Health, Safety New 

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• A successful national healthcare reform agenda must comprehensively address access, quality, and affordability while specifically targeting health disparities among minority populations. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has made significant strides in improving Medicare affordability for women, yet ongoing efforts are needed to address persistent health disparities, particularly among Black children and women, by increasing access to primary care and protecting key health safety nets through supportive legislation and voting in upcoming elections. 

• In 2024, Black women face a systemic assault on their health, wealth, and dignity, rooted in historical and ongoing inequalities that persist despite safety nets like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. The erosion of affordable healthcare and racial biases in medical treatment highlight the urgent need for more Black women in political leadership to advocate for equitable healthcare policies and address disparities effectively. 

• Mental health in Black communities, particularly among Black women and girls, is deeply affected by racism, discrimination, and structural inequities, resulting in significant disparities in mental health care and outcomes. To address these issues, a proposed Mental Health Collaborative aims to improve access and quality of care by integrating culturally competent services and education, alongside innovative treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to better support Black individuals navigating mental health challenges. 

• The dehumanization of Black women’s pain and well-being, a legacy of 19th-century practices, persists today, exemplified by preventable maternal deaths and inadequate care for Black women. Despite the preventable nature of these deaths, legislative efforts to censor historical racism in medical education threaten to perpetuate these disparities, underscoring the need for expanded access to culturally competent care and policy reforms to address structural racism and implicit bias. 

• Thirty years ago, a group of Black women established the Reproductive Justice framework, emphasizing the interconnectedness of reproductive rights with broader issues such as racism, sexism, and classism. This framework remains crucial today, as recent voting patterns and polls show widespread support for reproductive rights, despite ongoing legislative efforts to restrict these rights, underscoring the need for continued advocacy and action to ensure reproductive equity and justice. 

• In Louisiana, nearly 85 percent of young children from economically marginalized households lack access to high-quality early learning programs, which impedes their future academic, health, and economic outcomes. This disparity, rooted in systemic inequalities, exacerbates the effects of poverty and stress on brain development, highlighting the need for equitable early childhood education and accessible child care, which can be influenced through active voting and community advocacy. 

 

PROMOTE

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Equality, Economic & Environmental Justice and Opportunity 

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• Since the onset of the global reckoning on racism in May 2020, the concept of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has shifted from addressing surface-level issues to focusing on race-based initiatives aimed at correcting systemic racism. However, recent trends show significant opposition, including over 100 anti-DEI bills, funding cuts, and legal challenges, which threaten to undermine DEI efforts in academia, business, and government, highlighting the need for strategic advocacy and adaptive approaches to ensure the progress and protection of DEI initiatives. 

• Efforts to advance equity and inclusion (DEI) are under significant attack, especially at the state level, where conservative opposition is manifesting through measures that rollback educational programs, limit historical education, and restrict access to capital for disadvantaged businesses. This backlash undermines the foundational values of DEI—justice, equity, and inclusion—highlighting the need for strategic advocacy and public support to counteract these harmful trends and ensure that progress towards a more equitable society continues. 

• By 2050, achieving educational equity in the United States would mean ensuring all students have equal access to high-quality education, enriched by diverse knowledge and experiences. This vision involves overcoming setbacks like the recent SCOTUS ruling that challenged affirmative action, continuing to advocate for inclusive programs, and ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have the opportunities and support they need to thrive academically and professionally. 

• The U.S. Supreme Court's June 2023 decision to end affirmative action in college admissions has raised significant concerns about its impact on minority students' access to higher education and the exacerbation of existing disparities. The ruling threatens to undermine diversity and inclusion efforts, prompting a call for new strategies to address systemic barriers and promote equity in higher education. 

• The looming largest transfer of wealth in American history threatens to further consolidate economic power, underscoring the urgent need for Black women to adopt comprehensive strategies for wealth creation and equality. Beyond mere financial wealth, building "Dynastic Wealth" involves cultivating various forms of wealth—such as Spiritual, Intellectual, and Relational Wealth—to empower Black communities, ensure their economic inclusion, and honor ancestral legacies. 

• Black women must continue to advocate for justice and equitable public policies, highlighting the unique and compounded challenges they face in achieving equality and reparative justice. Despite efforts to promote inclusion through DEI programs and the potential of policies like Justice40, the historical and systemic barriers affecting Black women require a comprehensive reparations approach that includes direct payments, education, and entrepreneurship investments to address economic disparities and recognize their contributions effectively. 

• There is a persistent lack of diversity at the Senior Executive Service level of the federal government, despite efforts and initiatives aimed at increasing representation. It calls for enhanced partnerships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the African American Federal Executive Association to provide targeted professional development and mentorship for African American women aspiring to SES positions, addressing the significant underrepresentation and barriers they face. 

• High-speed internet service has become essential for remote learning, work, and accessing various services, but low-income households often struggle to afford it. The Affordable Connectivity Program, which replaced the Emergency Broadband Benefit, significantly helped bridge this gap, but its expiration in May 2024 without additional funding has left many families without vital internet access, undermining the success of related broadband expansion programs and the goal of universal internet access. 

• The Equal Rights Amendment is experiencing a pivotal moment with strong leadership from figures like Vice President Kamala Harris, who has championed the ERA as a crucial issue for women's economic justice, and Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush, who launched the first Congressional ERA Caucus to advance the amendment. Despite significant progress and support from diverse groups and Black women leaders at various levels, recent judicial setbacks highlight the need for the ERA to safeguard gender equality and counteract ongoing threats to women's rights.