A new study by the liberal Brookings Institute has found a jump in numbers of interracial couples across all races in the United States.
Additionally, it was discovered that black women marry outside their race less often than black men. Only 9 percent of black women date or marry white men, while 24 percent of black males end up with white women.
But, even as black and white relationships are less likely, William H. Frey of Brookings says that the number is still significant and shows how America is changing.
Frey noted, “as black-white marriages were prohibited in 16 states until 1967. The fact that nearly three in 10 new black marriages are multiracial with most of them to white spouses reflects an important shift toward blurring a long-held color line in the United States.”
Interracial marriage: Who is ‘marrying out’?
The trend toward more interracial marriages is undoubtedly related, at least in part, to changing social norms. Our previous surveys have documented growing acceptance among the public. In 2014, 37% of Americans said having more people of different races marrying each other was a good thing for society, up from 24% four years earlier. Only 9% in 2014 said this trend was a bad thing for society, and 51% said it doesn’t make much difference.