2018 Report

The 2018 reports comprising the Executive Summary 2018, Black White Equality Index 2018, Hispanic White Equality Index 2018, and Black White Digital Inclusion 2018 provide a comprehensive and nuanced view of the state of racial equality and digital inclusion in the United States. These documents offer critical insights into the progress and challenges in bridging racial disparities across various sectors.

The Executive Summary 2018 encapsulates overarching themes and findings, while the Black White and Hispanic White Equality Indexes delve into comparative analyses between these racial groups across economic, health, education, social justice, and civic engagement dimensions. Additionally, the Black White Digital Inclusion 2018 report specifically addresses the digital divide, highlighting the disparities in access to and usage of digital technologies between Black and White Americans. Collectively, these reports shed light on the ongoing efforts and strides made towards achieving equality, as well as the persistent gaps that demand attention and action.

2018 release

Executive Summary

The State of Black America®, the National Urban League’s seminal annual publication, now in its 42nd edition, has become one of the most highly-anticipated benchmarks and sources for thought leadership around racial equality in America across economics, employment, education, health, housing, criminal justice and civic participation. Each edition of the State of Black America contains thoughtful commentary and insightful analysis from leading figures and thought leaders in politics, the corporate arena, the nonprofit sector, academia and popular culture.

The State of Black America includes the National Equality Index™, a quantitative tool for tracking racial equality in America. This year’s report includes the 14th edition of the Black–White Equality Index and the ninth edition of the Hispanic–White Equality Index....

Learn more Download
2018 release

Equality Index

The 2018 Black-White Equality Index, published by the National Urban League, is a critical tool in understanding and documenting the progress towards economic empowerment for Black Americans in relation to their White counterparts. The Index serves as a comprehensive measure that encapsulates the comparative status of African Americans in key areas such as economics, health, education, social justice, and civic engagement. It visualizes these disparities as proportions of a metaphorical "pie," quantifying the share that African Americans, as well as Hispanics, receive compared to Whites.

The choice of Whites as a benchmark is rooted in the historical context of the United States, where racial dynamics have historically and continuously advantaged White Americans in many socio-economic outcomes. This Index is not just a representation of current disparities but also a powerful tool in the ongoing mission for racial equality and economic empowerment.

Learn more Download
2018 release

Equality Index

The Hispanic-White Equality Index 2018, published by the National Urban League, is a pivotal document that underscores the organization's mission of economic empowerment. It serves as a critical tool to document and measure the progress of Hispanic Americans in comparison to their White counterparts in key societal areas. These areas include economics, health, education, social justice, and civic engagement.

The Index metaphorically represents these disparities as portions of a pie, quantifying the share that Hispanics obtain relative to Whites. Whites are used as the benchmark, acknowledging the historical and ongoing advantages they have in many socioeconomic outcomes in America. This Index not only reflects current disparities but also drives awareness and action towards achieving greater equality.

Learn more Download
2018 release

Equality Index

The 2018 Black-White Digital Inclusion Index, a key component of the "State of Black America: Save Our Cities: Powering the Digital Revolution" report by the National Urban League, addresses the crucial issue of digital equality in the United States. This innovative index moves beyond the basic question of whether households have computers and internet access to a more profound inquiry: Are the new opportunities created by the digital revolution—such as jobs, business ventures, and educational resources—being equitably shared among African-American and White communities?

The Index evaluates digital equality across three fundamental domains: digital skills and occupations, digital access, and digital policy, each contributing to a comprehensive understanding of how digital technologies impact racial equality.

Learn more Download
Contributed by -

Secretary Jennifer Granholm

Secretary U.S. Department of Energy

Every day we are reminded that climate change is the single greatest threat facing humanity. While some choose to see this as a problem for future generations, the impacts of the climate crisis are already piling up for America's low-income families and people of color.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Angela Tuck

SENIOR EDITOR OF THE INTELLIGENCE PROJECT SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise

-      Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
 

When Pastor Eric S.C. Manning heard there had been a shooting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., one of his first thoughts was of his friend, Rev. Clementa Pinckney.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Thomas Beauford

PRESIDENT BUFFALO URBAN LEAGUE

An act of domestic terrorism forever changed our community on May 14th, 2022. A shooter opened fire at a supermarket in a predominately Black neighborhood several hours from where he lived. This horrific attack killed ten individuals, wounded three, injured several others, and traumatized our community and the world. This heinous event reminded us that hate-fueled violence still exists in our society, and extremists are here to destroy anything that is just or equal.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Bishop Garrison

FORMER SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND FELLOW NATIONAL SECURITY INSTITUTION, GEORGE MASON SCHOOL OF LAW

Rhetoric doesn’t fight wars, but it does start them. The world has witnessed this play out in real-time during the heinous Russian invasion of Ukraine, as Nazism found its way into the narrative.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Marc Morial

PRESIDENT & CEO NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

At least three members of the current U.S. Congress have promoted a conspiracy theory centered on a cabal of Satan-worshiping, cannibalistic, child abusers that includes Democratic politicians, Hollywood actors and business tycoons.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Dr. Robert Bullard

PROFESSOR OF URBAN PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, DIRECTOR OF THE BULLARD CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

Environmental justice embraces the principle that all people and communities are entitled to equal protection of environmental, health, employment, education, housing, transportation, energy, and civil rights laws. This principle was largely absent from the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 where the modern environmental movement was born. Environmental justice languished during the “Dark Ages” of the 1970s and early 1980s.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Maya Henson Carey

RESEARCH ANALYST SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER

In the nation's collective memory of the days following the 1954 landmark—unanimous—U.S. Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision outlawing segregation in public schools, a rallying cry for parental rights echoes.

Learn more
Contributed by -

Marc H. Morial

PRESIDENT & CEO NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

Transitioning the U.S. economy to renewable energy is perhaps the greatest wealth-creation opportunity since the Industrial Revolution. Over the next two decades, American companies plan to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in new wind, solar, and battery storage projects to replace aging, expensive, and heavily polluting fossil fuel plants, and provide power for an increasingly electrified economy with a growing fleet of electric vehicles.  

Learn more
Contributed by -

SUSAN CORKE

DIRECTOR SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INTELLIGENCE PROJECT

MICHAEL LIEBERMAN

SENIOR POLICY COUNSEL SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER

On May 14, 2022, a white supremacist attacked and killed 10 people, all of them Black, at Topps Supermarket in Buffalo, New York. From our reporting it was clear that the shooter became radicalized online and was inspired by other acts of white supremacist violence and by the January 6 insurrection.

Learn more

Our Partners


Key partners supporting the National Urban League's mission for State of Black America Report

Subscribe our newsletter!

Scroll to Top