No black woman had been chosen for a Whitney Biennial since 1973.

Of the 30 non-white artists who had been in the biennials since 1973, only 3 have had work acquired for the museum collection

More than 70 artists had been chosen for more than one Biennial, only one of them was nonwhite.

The Whitney's acquisition of art by women had never exceeded 14% in any year. In 1984 only 9% of its acquisitions were of women artists.

The work of men chosen for the Biennial was acquired by the museum twice as often as the work of women chosen for the Biennial.

More than 70% of the acquisitions of art by women in the Biennials up until then had taken place in the 1970's.

The museum already owned works by 12 of the 43 artists in the 1987 Biennial show.

Between 1982 - 1987 there had been only one solo show of a woman artist at The Whitney.