Jennifer Richeson
Numbers, Not Narratives, Remedy Misperceptions of the Racial Wealth Gap
A series of studies co-authored by Yale SOM’s Michael Kraus have shown that Americans vastly underestimate the wealth gap facing Black Americans. The latest research shows that detailed data is more effective than personal narratives in improving their understanding.
![A $100 bill torn into two sections]()
The Wealth Gap Facing Black Americans Is Vast—and Vastly Underestimated
For every $100 in wealth held by a White family, a Black family has just $10. But studies by Yale’s Jennifer Richeson and Michael Kraus show that Americans believe that the disparity is much smaller.
![An illustration of a chart of the wealth gap over the word "Inequality"]()
