BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURES
Interests and Priorities of Black Californians
The California Black Power Network (CBPN), in collaboration with L. Norwood & Associates (LNA) and Catalyst California, conducted the largest reparations survey of Black Californians from October 2023 to March 2024. This comprehensive survey aimed to capture the sentiments of Black voters in California on reparations and key social issues and to understand how these issues would influence their voting behavior in this critical election year.
In October of 2023, L. Norwood & Associates developed and launched an online survey that yielded nearly 1,300 unique responses from African Americans throughout California with a 3% margin of error*. LNA utilized CBPN’s email and SMS lists, website, network, and targeted online ads to distribute the survey and ensure broad reach. The primary objective was to gather insights on the opinions and priorities of Black voters in California regarding reparations, key policy issues, and the policies and actions of political figures like Governor Newsom in addressing the concerns most important to Black Californians. A secondary objective was to identify actionable strategies to inform communication, mobilize support around key issues such as reparations, and highlight the issue priorities of Black Californians as policymakers prepare to implement the recommendations within the California Reparations Taskforce Report.
The survey employed a mix of questions to assess Black Californians’ level of support for specific issues and the reasoning behind their views. The average age of respondents was 55 years old. 63% identified as Democrats, 22% as Independents, and 3% as Republicans.
Democrats
Party/Preference
Republican
Thematically, the survey focused on reparations, policy priorities, and candidate voter motivations. Reparations covered the level of support for reparations, preferred forms of reparations (e.g., financial, educational, policy reforms), who should be entitled to reparations, and the impact of a candidate’s stance on reparations on voter support. Policy Priorities entailed questions to identify the respondent’s top policy priorities, including, but not limited to, health care, education, healthy neighborhoods, and economic justice. Other questions explored whether respondents would hypothetically support candidates based on their stance on key social issues, including reparations.
Black Californians Overwhelmingly Support Reparations.
Reparations are nearly universally supported by Black Californians as 94.3% of Black Californians say they support reparations for Black communities.
Black Californians Support
Reparations
Black Voters Identify as
Democrats
Reparations Support Is Not Tied to Political Party.
The support for reparations withstood across party lines. Data revealed that Black voters or respondents do not identify with just one party. In fact, 63.2% of respondents identified as Democrats, but this did not affect support for reparations.
Reparations Motivate
Black Voters
Black respondents overwhelmingly expressed that reparations would motivate them to vote. Nearly 90% of respondents said “yes” to the issue of reparations motivating them to vote.
Source: LNA/CBPN: Building Brighter Futures: Interests and
Priorities of Black Californians
Amplify Black Californians' Call for Reparations
Black Californians have spoken! Over 93% strongly support reparations and critical policy reforms. Download and share our social media graphics to amplify their voices and highlight other key findings. The time for change is now!
Newsom Support - Gov. Newsom Must Support Reparations.
Nine in ten (92.5%) Black Californians think Governor Newsom should support reparations. Black respondents (67%) expressed their level of support for Newsom would decrease if he does not endorse reparations.
Nine in Ten Black Californians think
Newsom should Support Reparations
Source: LNA/CBPN: Building Brighter Futures: Interests and Priorities of Black Californians
Reparations Drives Candidate Support
Eight in ten (84.2%) Black Californians say a candidate's stance on reparations matching their own would increase their likelihood to support that candidate. Since nine in ten Black Californians support reparations, this largely equates to Black Californians saying they would increase support for candidates who support reparations.
Lineage Shouldn’t Be a Deciding Factor
More than 56.1% of Black respondents believe that all Black people who have experienced racism and discrimination due to white supremacy should be entitled to reparations, while only 27.7% believe lineage should be considered.
Do you believe that reparations should be limited to Blacks who can trace their lineage back to slavery or should reparations include all Black people who have experienced racism and discrimination due to white supremacy?
I believe that reparations should be limited to Blacks who can trace their lineage back to slavery.
I believe that reparations should include all Black people who have experienced racism and discrimination due to white supremacy.
Uncertain/Other
Source: LNA/CBPN: Building Brighter Futures: Interests and Priorities of Black Californians
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*Catalyst California served as a validator of the survey. They were brought on to inform the methodology and margin of error, validate the large sample CA to date to engage the press, provide feedback on how the questions were framed, and offer their brand name on all outgoing communications.