What you need to know

Black Millennials are grateful for what they’ve achieved and hope for a better future, but some struggle to find the security and comfort for themselves and family that will fulfill their version of the American Dream. This generation believes their voice has power; they have seen the evidence, and they will wield it among organizations and brands where they believe they will see results. COVID-19 will bring particular hardship especially to younger Black Millennials, who are already struggling, and who may repeat the long recovery their older counterparts encountered during the last recession, nearly a decade ago.

Key issues covered in this Report

  • The impact of COVID-19 on Black Millennials

  • The long economic recovery ahead for Black Millennials

  • Systemic and financial issues that drive Black Millennial advocacy

  • The American Dream defined on Black Millennials’ terms

This Report was written in June 2020. Consumer research was fielded in early March 2020 and reflects Black Millennials’ attitudes and behaviors prior to COVID-19 being declared an emergency in the US.

Definition

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

Black Millennials are defined as the generation born between 1977 and 1994 who self-identify as Black. Millennials are between the ages of 26 and 43 in 2020. Where applicable, data in this Report is compared to all US Millennials as well as to other generations within the Black population.

In reference to US Census and Simmons data, Mintel has used the available age groups that best reflect the Millennial generation for the years of data collection.

Scope

This Report explores Black Millennials’ mindset to understand what matters to them, including how they define success in America, perceptions of others and their life. The impact of COVID-19 is discussed in the context of social issues and impacts as well as consumer issues and impacts particularly relevant to Black consumers in the US.

This Report builds on analysis presented in Mintel’s Marketing to Black Millennials – US, June 2019, as well as the 2018 and 2017 Reports of the same title. Readers of this Report may also be interested in Marketing to Millennials: Incl the Impact of COVID-19 – US, June 2020, Marketing to Hispanic Millennials: Incl the Impact of COVID-19 – US, June 2020 and other Reports from Mintel’s Multicultural, Lifestyles, and Culture and Identity libraries.

Back to top