UWEC geog188 Vogeler - U.S. Racial Perception by U.S. Racial Groups

White* Perception of the Percentage of Major U.S. Racial Groups
Group
% Perceived*
% Actual
*Ironically, Blacks over estimate their own populations as well!
[Harper's Index, May 1996]
Black viewers watch 50 percent more TV than any other group.
[The Progressive, February 1997, 39]
Blacks
24
12
Hispanics
15
6
Asians
11
2
Whites
50
80
Source: New York Times, Monday, March 25, 1996, p. A19.

In professional sports, African Americans comprise 80 % of all players in basketball; 67 % in football; 18 % in baseball. Only 29 % of poor in the USA are black; yet in national news magazines, such as Time and Newsweek, 62 % of the pictures associated with stories about poverty feature black people; and on TV evening news, it is 65 %.

Created by Ingolf Vogeler on 30 April 1996; last revised on 17 November 2000.

Group	% Perceived*	% Actual	Ironically, Blacks over estimate their own populations as well! [Harper's Index, May 1996] Black viewers watch 50 percent more TV than any other group. [The Progressive*, February 1997, 39]
Blacks	24	12
Hispanics	15	6
Asians	11	2
Whites	50	80
Source: New York Times, Monday, March 25, 1996, p. A19.