Racial and Ethnic Differences in Police Trust Among Self-Reported Viewers of Videos of Police Violence Against Black People: Exploring the Explanatory Value of Basic Literacy in Black American History

We investigated racial and ethnic differences in police trust among people who self-reported having previously viewed a video of police violence against Black people. Comparative Conflict Theory and intersectional considerations served as the theoretical framework for the research. Using data collected by the Pew Research Center, we tested four hypotheses, with racial/ethnic/gender-related findings. Trust in police among Black people was impacted more than other racial ethnic groups after viewing a video of police violence against Black people. An intersectional approach found that Black women were more likely than women of other racial and ethnic backgrounds to decrease their trust in police. We also examined whether there was an impact on police trust based on basic literacy in Black American history. Our results revealed that increased literacy in Black American history resulted in lower trust in the police. Finally, our study revealed that the level of police trust did not decrease among respondents who believe there has been racial progress in the United States. Considering these findings, we discuss the importance of literacy in Black American history in sensitizing the public to the stability of police violence against Black people in the United States.