  Polarimetry provides an avenue for probing the geometry and physical
mechanisms producing optical radiation in many astrophysical objects, including
stellar binary systems. We present the results of multiwavelength (BVR)
polarimetric studies of a sample of historical black hole X-ray binaries,
observed during their outbursts or in the quiescent (or near-quiescent) state.
We surveyed both long- and short-period systems, located at different Galactic
latitudes. We performed careful analysis of the interstellar polarization in
the direction on the sources to reliably estimate the intrinsic source
polarization. Intrinsic polarization was found to be small (< 0.2 per cent) in
sources observed in bright soft states (MAXI J0637-430 and 4U 1957+115). It was
found to be significant in the rising hard state of MAXI J1820+070 at the level
of 0.5 per cent and negligible in the decaying hard state and during its failed
outbursts, while Swift J1357.2-0933 showed its absence in the rising hard
state. Three (XTE J1118+480, V4641 Sgr, V404 Cyg) sources observed during
quiescence show no evidence of significant intrinsic polarization, while MAXI
J1820+070 is the only black hole X-ray binary which showed substantial (> 5 per
cent) intrinsic quiescent-state polarization with a blue spectrum. The absence
of intrinsic polarization at the optical wavelengths puts constraints on the
potential contribution of non-stellar (jet, hot flow, accretion disc)
components to the total spectra of quiescent black hole X-ray binaries.
