“Access to the Internet … is the civil rights issue of the 21st century.”  – Congressman and Civil Rights Advocate, John Lewis

High-quality internet access, affordability and adoption are legacy problems that disproportionately affect Black Americans.

Affordability: 34 million Americans currently live below the poverty line. When considering race, the affordability gap is compounded: more than 1 in 5 Black Americans, live below the poverty line and struggle with paying for broadband service.

Access: All Americans, both urban and rural, should have reliable broadband access with networks available in their community. Approximately five million Black American households in urban areas are without access to broadband. In rural counties, broadband availability is almost 20 percent lower where a majority of residents are Black compared to rural counties that are predominately white

Adoption: Even with access and when service is affordable, some households still do not access broadband because of their lack of digital literacy. According to a recent Harvard Business Review survey, 70% of Black Americans report being under-prepared with digital skills, affecting their employability.

It’s time for policy makers and the business community to act on this issue, which impacts the health, education, public safety, and economic opportunities of Black communities.

• The Census reports that 36.4% (16M) of Black households do not have a computer or broadband access.
• 30% of Black students (4.5M) in grades K-12 are without high-quality, secure, broadband internet service unable to participate in online schooling.
• Income-level should not be a barrier to entry for the internet in America. If the digital divide is not addressed, according to a recent Deutsche Bank Study, 76% of Black Americans could be underprepared for 86% of jobs in the US by 2045.