Shifting Perspectives: How American Views on Black Lives Matter and Racial Inequality Evolved Since 2020

In the aftermath of George Floyd's tragic death on May 25, 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement ignited significant protests against systemic racism and police violence throughout the United States. Fast forward five years, and a recent Pew Research Center study has scrutinized the evolution of American perspectives on the movement and racial matters since the summer of 2020. In September 2020, more than half of U.S. adults anticipated that heightened awareness of racial disparities would ultimately enhance the lives of Black Americans. However, nearly five years later, a striking 72 percent now contend that this intensified focus on race post-Floyd's demise has fallen short of fostering meaningful improvements. Notably, support for the Black Lives Matter movement has seen a decline of 15 percentage points from June 2020 to 2025.