Nearly nine-in-ten Black Americans say they are at least somewhat informed about the history of Black people in the United States, with family and friends being the single largest source of information about it, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of Black adults. 

About half of Black Americans say they are very or extremely informed about the history of Black people in the United States. Nearly four-in-ten say they are somewhat informed, while 11% say they are a little or not at all informed.

Views of one’s own racial identity can influence how Black Americans learn about U.S. Black history. The share of Black Americans who say they learned this history from family and friends reaches 48% among those who say being Black is a very or extremely important part of their identity, compared with just 30% among those who say being Black is less important to their identity. 

Non-Hispanic Black adults are more likely than Black multiracial adults to say they learned everything or most things they know about Black history from their family and friends.