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The National Urban League says years of progress for Black Americans are being reversed, citing changes to diversity initiatives, employment, voting rights and civil rights enforcement in its newly released 2026 State of Black America report.
Released Thursday (July 30), the report from the National Urban League — one of the nation's oldest civil rights organizations — argues that many of the economic and social gains made in recent years have come under increasing pressure during President Donald Trump's second term.
"Between 2021 and 2024, the four-year period following the murder of George Floyd, Black life in America saw historic wins," the report states. "Black unemployment dropped to a record low, and the number of Black households living in poverty dropped to the lowest point on record. That progress was short-lived when the current administration took office in January 2025."
Published by the National Urban League, the report features contributions from elected officials, policy leaders and other prominent voices, including National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial. It points to the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, changes within the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and recent voting rights decisions as key concerns.
The report also argues that Black workers are experiencing renewed economic challenges after several years of improvement, estimating that between 250,000 and more than 300,000 Black women lost their jobs in 2025.
The White House disputed the report's conclusions. In a statement to The Hill, White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster said President Trump was elected with a mandate to eliminate what the administration describes as discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
"President Trump was resoundingly elected with a mandate to end divisive, racist policies and restore merit and efficiency," Schuster said, adding that the administration believes its economic agenda has benefited Black Americans.
A White House official also pointed to recent labor data, telling The Hill that Black unemployment declined in recent months and citing an analysis from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies showing the number of Black workers increased by 101,000 between April and May.
The Justice Department also defended its approach. A spokesperson said the Civil Rights Division enforces federal law "evenhandedly for all Americans" and that "preferential treatment on the basis of race has no place in our society."
The National Urban League rejected that assessment, arguing that diversity initiatives expand opportunity and help address longstanding racial inequities rather than create them.
Beyond assessing current conditions, the report outlines several recommendations aimed at strengthening economic opportunity for Black communities. Among them are continued investment in historically Black colleges and universities, expanded support for Black-owned businesses, rebuilding the Minority Business Development Agency, and increasing access to emerging industries, including artificial intelligence, clean energy and biomedical technology.
"The next economy is being built today," the report states. "Who builds it will determine who benefits from it for generations."
The report also calls for continued legal challenges to policies the organization believes undermine civil rights protections while encouraging state and local governments to strengthen safeguards where federal protections have been rolled back.
"When Washington retreats, statehouses must advance," the report states, arguing that long-term progress will require both legal action and sustained investment in Black communities.
"[The] fight is not over," the report concludes. "And we will not yield."
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