The 2020 Executive Summary of the State of Black America® report, issued by the National Urban League, stands as a seminal document in the ongoing discourse of racial equality in the United States. This edition, titled "Unmasked," aligns with the year's gravitas, revealing the stark realities faced by Black Americans amid a global pandemic and its resultant economic upheaval. The report underscores systemic racism's role in exacerbating the pandemic's impact on Black communities, reflected in disproportionate rates of COVID-19 fatalities, economic disenfranchisement, and the erasure of recent gains in Black wealth and employment.

This year's edition also introduces the Equality Index™ as a key analytical tool, charting the progress, or lack thereof, in bridging racial disparities in economics, education, health, social justice, and civic engagement. The report offers a sobering perspective, illustrating that the strides made during over a decade of economic growth have been insufficient in closing these critical gaps. This year's narrative is particularly compelling as it unfolds against the backdrop of an election year, urging Americans to consider their choices and the country's direction in the face of deep-rooted racial inequities.