Nov 22, 2024 Story by: Editor
The Howard University Initiative on Public Opinion (HIPO) is a research collective that conducts nationwide surveys, emphasizing the opinions and experiences of Black communities. The initiative, which focuses on underrepresented voices in national polls, was originally founded by the late Dr. Gary L. Harris, a former associate provost and dean of the graduate school. Under his leadership, the program sought to address the lack of African American representation in public opinion studies. Today, Dr. Terri Adams leads the initiative.
“It’s not just collecting data for the sake of collecting data, but it’s collecting data to uplift the voices of people who are often overlooked or oversimplified in public discourse,” Adams explained regarding HIPO’s mission.
Following Vice President Kamala Harris’s nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate, HIPO conducted a poll to gauge the perspectives of Black Americans on her candidacy, along with a series of focus groups in swing states. These efforts provided valuable insights into election issues and voter attitudes.
“Because Vice President Harris actually graduated from Howard, that gave us kind of an extra significance, and also because there hasn’t been a lot of specific polling just of African-Americans. Our polling kind of stood out because of that,” said Dr. Clarence Lusane, a political science professor and HIPO member.
HIPO’s work has gained national attention, with its research featured by media outlets like NBC News, The Hill, and MSN. Lusane emphasized the importance of ensuring that African American perspectives are included in key discussions. “Most of the polling that happens tends to undercount African Americans. So what we try to do is attest for that and to make sure that there’s a voice for African Americans on key issues, particularly when it comes to polling around elections.”
Dr. Lorenzo Morris, professor emeritus of political science, added that the team is particularly interested in understanding how African Americans respond to candidates and key issues during election cycles. Their methodology includes online and phone surveys as well as focus groups, allowing for a nuanced understanding of diverse Black voter perspectives.
“We have 1,000 Black voters who are giving us their representation of issues that matter to them, and that’s really important because we know that campaigns, administrations, and legislation are driven by what politicians think matters to people,” said Dr. Dana Williams, a professor of African American literature and HIPO member.
HIPO’s recent findings highlighted a notable increase in support for Vice President Harris among both Black men and women between September and October. Williams noted that the team’s work had to maintain a high level of precision to ensure the data’s authenticity, particularly given Harris’s connection to Howard University.
“We had to be exceptionally careful to avoid any assumptions around partisanship because we wanted people to really trust the authenticity of the poll,” Williams explained.
HIPO’s interdisciplinary team, comprising experts from political science, economics, psychology, sociology, and other fields, prides itself on its diverse approaches to analyzing societal issues. “The interdisciplinarity of the team allows us to really look at things through a lens that we believe others aren’t,” Adams said. This diversity ensures a richer interpretation of polling results, setting their work apart. Source: The HillTop
