There’s no question that the plight of the Black community in America extends over 200 years. But so many of the current issues we face aren’t nearly that old. The 80s saw a wave of not-so-stealth attacks on the Black community caused by one white politician.
As a senator, Ronald Reagan voted AGAINST the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and actively campaigned against the fair housing act. He also felt that affirmative action was “reverse racism.” Cue the hard eye-roll. As President from 1981 to 1989 his racist views went even further.
Many of the economic policies that Reagan implemented hurt us. He ran on the platform of repairing the economy, but his policies were racially insidious. Offering steep tax cuts to businesses and the wealthy, he championed trickle-down economics.
By 1986, over 30% of Black Americans had fallen below the poverty level.
Reagan gutted social programs like welfare, where he referred to Black women as “welfare queens.” He destroyed the U.S. Commission on civil rights. He used his position and power to financially throttle any program that would benefit us.
White Americans love Ronald Reagan because he ushered in a new reign of right-leaning ideology and helped line their pockets. What he didn’t do was a single thing to improve the lives of Black Americans.
We have to keep fighting for ourselves.