Racism Over Time: Experiences from a Panel Study of Black Americans

Abstract

Existing research demonstrates that racial discrimination negatively affects life outcomes for Black Americans. Yet, it is unknown how exposure to racial discrimination changes over time. To address this gap, we (1) assess the pattern of experiences with racial discrimination from age 10 to 30; (2) test how exposure to discrimination changes within childhood, adolescence, and adulthood; and (3) analyze factors associated with experiencing racial discrimination over time. To accomplish this, we use seven waves of the Family and Community Health Study, a longitudinal data set of Black Americans. We observe a curvilinear relationship between discrimination and age such that exposure initially increases in childhood, peaks in adolescence, then declines in adulthood. Using piecewise growth modeling, we find support for this pattern, marking the period from childhood to adolescence as a critical time period. Finally, factors such as geographical location, criminal justice involvement, and attending college are associated with experiencing greater racial discrimination.