Reference no: EM131652858

How did Ronald Reagan's presidency change the economic reality for African Americans?

"As President Reagan observed with a wry smile, "I could tell our economic program was working when they stopped calling it Reaganomics (The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics).' " According to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, "20 million new jobs were created, Inflation dropped from 13.5% in 1980 to 4.1% by 1988, unemployment fell from 7.6% to 5.5%, net worth of families earning between $20,000 and $50,000 annually grew by 27%, real gross national product rose 26%, and ,the prime interest rate was slashed by more than half, from an unprecedented 21.5% in January 1981 to 10% in August 1988 (The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics)."

This all may very well be true, but it does not break the numbers down by demographic. In fact, under the administration of Ronald Reagan, the economic affects on African Americans was detrimental.

I truly believe that Ronald Reagan was the greatest president that the 21st century experienced. He fought for the overall betterment of the nation as a whole. While he was doing so, African Americans, as well as other minorities suffered. The overall national numbers improved, but under Reagan's administration, the progress of civil rights, and African Americans slid downward. reduce federal government spending on urban development and social services.

"The Reagan Administration terminated the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act program, a successful job training program that had been funded in 1982 at $3.1 billion; eliminated $2 billion from the federal food stamps program; reduced federal support for child nutrition programs by $1.7 billion over a two-year period; and closed down the Neighborhood Self Help and Planning Assistance programs, which provided technical and financial help to inner cities. In the first year of the Reagan Administration, the real median income of all black families fell by 5.2 percent (2009)."

As a result of the above changes that were instituted by the Reagan administration, many African Americans began turning to selling drugs as a way to earn income. I know this is not a debate, but I am not in favor of the current welfare system. And I feel that by Reagan reducing the Employment and Training Act, as well as the other programs I mentioned, many were uneducated, and did what they had to do to earn an income to support their families.

"Amistad Digital Resource." Amistad Digital Resource: Social and Economic Issues of the 1980s and 1990s.

"The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics." The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics.

Question 2

Hip-hop went mainstream to give the African American people a voice. In the early 1970s is when Hip Hop started to make its recognition going viral. Down to breakdancing, graffiti, dance, or being a DJ Hip Hop became a worldwide phenomenon. After being held back for so long the African American people had something that they considered their way of voicing their opinion through self-expression related to any subject.

It also gave the people true freedom of speech. Hip Hop artist often spoke about change for equality, stop the violence, HIV awareness, voting, education, and many more positive topics for both men, and women artists. Even though popular groups such as NWA brought negative attention to themselves, they paved the way for many artist fighting through the struggles African Americans were still facing.

Not only did hip-hop became popular with just African Americans, it spread throughout the world in many cultures. Hip Hop songs are spoken in nearly every language to this day.

It just goes to show how the culture itself spread to become much bigger than just the United States. The importance of black culture is the contributions that African Americans made throughout history. The influences are known by more than just the black race itself. Many cultures have taken on the culture outside of the black communities.

When you think about Hip Hop these days a whole. It's just not black artists that are making hip-hop music. It became a multicultural epidemic in the world.

When it comes to sport and the arts, and breaking down racial barriers I can relate this to Jackie Robinson for example who broke racial barriers by being an African American in baseball at a time where racial discrimination was at a high.

Not only did this give white people the ability to look over color, and just the sport itself, it gave an understanding that African Americans were just as good.

For African Americans, it was never to go out and prove that they were better than white people. It was to play a sport they truly loved and had a passion for. It broke racial barriers till this day. Now all sports are played together no matter the race.

I think that this doesn't apply in science or religion, and does in sports due to sports is a lot more mainstream than being a scientist. Also, religion is a personal preference, and belief based on the individual, while sports it doesn't matter what you believe it. As long as you are providing entertainment to the masses it doesn't matter.

Attachment:- African Americans.rar