The Clinton campaign and mainstream media anticipated a higher percentage of the African American vote in the 2016 election than what had been historically observed, which ranged between 11 to 16 percent for Republican and Independent candidates over the past fifty years. Notably, only a few recent presidents achieved over 90 percent of the black vote, with Hillary Clinton coming close at 88 percent, a figure that fell short of previous expectations.

This discrepancy highlights a shift in voting patterns and illustrates the ongoing complexities in African American electoral behavior. Despite Clinton's significant support, it reflects a larger trend of African Americans not uniformly backing Democratic candidates and underlines the challenge for the Clinton campaign in aligning with historical voting trends.