Black Thriving in America report dives deep into Black life experiences

October 8, 2024

A new report examines the wellbeing of Black Americans through decades of research and surveys. “Black Thriving in America: 2024” is a product of Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF) Dr. N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice partnership with Gallup’s Center on Black Voices. The report officially releases on Monday, Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. at an exclusive event in the Great Hall of The Gallup Building. TMCF founder and Payne Center namesake Dr. N. Joyce Payne emphasized the importance of the report, with its release concurrent with the Congressional Black Caucus annual legislative conference and ahead of a historic presidential election.

“Black Thriving in America is the result of cutting-edge research, which I’m certain will be a catalyst for important conversations and drive impactful change,” Payne said. Natasha S. Alford (CNN, TheGrio) will provide a response to the report during the event. After the event, she will sign copies of her book, “American Negra.” Following Alford’s response is a panel discussion featuring Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Yolanda Cash Jackson, shareholder at Becker & Poliakoff; Dr. Jonathan M. Cox, vice president of the Center for Policy Analysis and Research at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, president of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation; and Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Ford Foundation Professor of History, Race, and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. “This groundbreaking report, using the Gallup World Poll, reveals key insights across six vital areas: justice, economic opportunity, education, jobs and work, health and wellbeing, and community and environment,” Dr. M.C. Brown II, executive director and research scientist at the Payne Center, said. The event is in-person only with limited space. Attendees may register online to ensure seating. A reception will follow the event at 5 p.m. Last year’s report, “Black Thriving in America: 2023,” is available online.

About the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) created the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice (CSJ) to serve as a nexus in advancing social justice for Black Americans. CSJ is a national think tank and research center, rooted in the African American community, drawing together top HBCU scholars, national thought leaders, community advocates and on-the-ground solution-makers to identify, evaluate and scale new evidenced-based programs and policies designed to create sustainable change to the fabric of Black life in American society.

About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member schools include the publicly

supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Community Colleges and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit www.tmcf.org.

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