Washington, D.C. (August 28, 2023) – In commemoration of the 60 th anniversary of historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund announced the release of a premiere report on Black Thriving in America: 2023 scheduled for Monday, September 18, 2023, at 3:00 pm in the Gallup Building located 901 F St. NW in Washington, DC. Due to limited space, registration is required Click Here to Register
Black Thriving in America: 2023 is the inaugural report of the Payne Center for Social Justice – an independent think tank and policy center created by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The Payne Center is devoted to research that leads to pragmatic and innovative ideas on how to address the intractable problem of social justice facing society, especially for Black Americans. The Center’s mission is to inform public policy and to highlighting research from and about HBCUs and the life experiences of Black Americans.
Black Thriving in America: 2023 examines the indicators of Black American life experiences drawn from decades of Gallup research. The report includes items that have been asked across the world as part of the Gallup World Poll, the most comprehensive and farthest-reaching global survey. Key findings include:
- Black Americans’ evaluation of their lives and their future
- Their standing across the key pillars of wellbeing: employment, neighborhoods, schools
- First-person experiences with discrimination
- Black Americans’ respect and civility in the workplace
- Personal interactions with police and law enforcement
The 1963 March on Washington focused on the economic and racial inequalities of the United States and the need for integrating public schools, creating a higher minimum wage, and the passage of anti-discrimination legislation. The Black Thriving in America: 2023 report examines the state of “wellbeing” among Black Americans and their experiences with “dignity in public”, “respect at work”, “police” interactions, and “safety in the neighborhood”.
Discussions of racial bias and discrimination in the United States have been largely anecdotal. Black Thriving in America: 2023 quantifies racial progress and serves as a dashboard of racial inequities. This pioneering study collates and analyzes rigorous research on the state of Black life in the U.S. – and the path forward for policymakers, advocates, businesses, and the larger public to develop trackable solutions.
Black Thriving in America: 2023 is the first annual report in a 100-year commitment between the Payne Center and Gallup to study Black American suffering, struggling, and thriving.
ABOUT THE DR. N. JOYCE PAYNE CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
The Dr. N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a nexus for research and advocacy to advance social justice for Black Americans. The mission of the Payne Center is to inform public policy that improves the lives of Black Americans and all marginalized groups. The overarching intent is to create a truly just society by conducting and commissioning rigorous policy studies and
collecting, supporting, and highlighting research from and about HBCUs and the life experiences of Black Americans.
The Payne Center’s research agenda covers a wide range of subjects, with six primary areas of concentration: civic participation; economics and wealth; educational equity; the future of work; communities and environments; and organizational entities. These topics are addressed through data-driven social science research methods. The Payne Center’s research philosophy asserts that those directly impacted by systemic discrimination and injustice are best suited to propose solutions to eliminate those barriers.
