Chapter 23 Black Politics, White Backlash 1980-Present
Slide 2
Ronald Regan & The Conservative Reaction 0 Ronald Regan
elected in 1980 marked the rise of the New Right Wing as the
dominant force in politics. 0 This majority was made up of angry
southerners who were unhappy with the Civil Rights Movement, and
northerners who disagreed with affirmative action and other social
programs that affected taxes. 0 The Regan and Bush administrations
began to roll back all the social programs instituted following the
New Deal.
Slide 3
Dismantling the Great Society 0 Regan and Bush cut back federal
aid programs to cities by 50% and eliminated programs designed to
help poor urban families. 0 They also put people in Civil Rights (
i.e. Equal Economic Opportunity Commission and U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights ) positions to hide their intent. 0 Clarence Thomas
opposed Affirmative Action and reduced the EEOC staff, while
Clarence Pendleton replaced CCR president and caused a rapid
decline.
Slide 4
Black Conservatives 0 Thomas and Pendleton were part of the
black, middle class, conservatives that gained prominence during
the Regan years. 0 Unlike Black Democratic leaders, these
Conservatives did not have meaningful power and had to embrace
their partys values. 0 Bushs nomination of Clarence Thomas was
controversial, especially after Anita Hills charges that he
sexually harassed her. 0 Thomas has remained an archconservative
that votes against liberal or progressive causes such as
affirmative action.
Slide 5
Old v. New Civil Rights Laws Old CR LawNew CR Law 0 Fought
against intentional discrimination 0 Job, Education, and Voting
discrimination. 0 Discriminatory outcomes 0 Measured by statistical
disparity 0 Percentages indicate
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Affirmative Action 0 One of the most controversial civil rights
policies to date. 0 Many whites viewed this as reverse racism 0
Black supporters of this policy saw it as the remedy for centuries
of discrimination. 0 Colleges and Universities became the
battleground for affirmative action litigation. 0 Regents of the
Uni. of Cal. vs. Bakke Court rules against 0 Grutter v. Bollinge
(Uni. Michigan Law) Court rules for 0 Gratz v. Bollinger Court
rules against
Slide 7
A Case Study 0 Enter the University of Michigan, the
Washington-based Center for Individual Rights (CIR), and their
"poster applicant" Jennifer Gratz. Gratz applied to the University
of Michigan 2 years ago with an ACT score of 25 and a 3.76 high
school GPA. She had been a student council leader, a math tutor, a
cheerleader, homecoming queen and was a senior citizen volunteer in
her working-class Detroit suburb. She was denied admission. CIR
found Ms. Gratz, who is the named plaintiff, along with other white
applicants, all of whom argued they would have been admitted had
they been minorities.
Slide 8
Slide 9
Black Political Activism in the Age of Conservative Reaction. 0
African Americans displayed the extent they overcame political
exclusion through the seats held: 0 8,500 elected official in 1994
(103 in 1964) 0 43 blacks in Congress in 2007 0 400 towns/cities
had black mayors in the mid-90s 0 Through the presidencies of Regan
and Bush, the Democratic Party controlled at least one House of
Congress. They worked to pass equal rights laws. 0 Voting Rights
Act of 1982 0 The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988- withheld
funds from discriminatory institutions. 0 Fair Housing Act of 1988-
fights for housing complaints.
Slide 10
MLK Day and the Transafrica & Anti-Apartheid Movement 0
Jan. 20 th, 1985 was the first time America celebrated MLK Jr. Day
0 Black activism reached an international level as well, with
efforts to help Africa at the forefront. 0 Randall Robinson
established the TransAfrica Organization to lobby for political
prisoners, particularly Mendela. 0 The Anti-Apartheid Movement
sought to end the segregation of South Africa through investments
and corportate boycotts. Their efforts worked leading to Mendelas
freedom and the end of Apartheid in 1990.
Slide 11
Jesse Jackson & The Rainbow Coalition 0 Jackson, a founder
of People United to Save Humanity (PUSH), ran for the Democratic
nomination in 1983 and 1987. 0 His goal was to appeal to a rainbow
coalition of people political marginalization and
underrepresentation. 0 Rebuilding America through a national
industrial policy very progressive liberal reform. 0 His work to
register Democratic voters had a lasting impact, especially in the
dominated Senate of 1986. 0 George H.W. Bush won the election of
1988 due to his ad about a black convict. This led to the rise in
black criminal perceptions during his presidency.
Slide 12
Willie Horton Ad
Slide 13
Policing the Black Community 0 The increase in perception of
black males as criminals continued from the 1980s through the 90s.
0 Black males are 7 times more likely to be incarcerated then
whites. 0 2001- 10% of black men in their twenties were in prison.
0 30% of black drop-outs spent time in jail/prison, many for drug
related arrests. 0 The brutal police beating of Rodney King in
March 1991 and the subsequent acquittal of the officers by a jury
led to riots in L.A. 0 A series of police brutality cases were
brought to national attention: 0 1997- Abner Louima beaten and
sodomized while in Brooklyn station. 0 1999- Amadou Diallo shot 41
times reaching for his wallet. 0 1999- Patric Dorismond killed by
undercover officer for refusing to buy drugs. 0 2006- Sean Bell
shot en route to be married, 50 bullets shot into his car during
sting op gone wrong.
Slide 14
Rodney King
Slide 15
Human Rights in America 0 Amnesty International reported of the
abuses by police in America. 0 Cited several infractions by local
and state police, as well as the FBI, INS, and the penal system. 0
Found violations of the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement
Officials and the UN Basic Principles of the Use of Force and
Firearms. 0 Misuse of force during traffic stops, searches, and
arrests. 0 Sexual and physical abuse of prisoners. 0 Noted that the
abuse was focused on minorities and performed by white
officers.
Slide 16
Face Value??? Racist Police?Black Criminals? 0 Job pressure 0
Life is in danger 0 Wide availability of guns = stress 0 High rate
of minority crime 0 Crime level in black communities is high. 0 7x
higher murder rate, with 49% national rate. 0 90% is black on black
crime. 0 Crime = Community de-value = more crime
Slide 17
The Clinton Presidency 0 Clintons presidency nomination in 1992
was largely due to his garnering 78% of the black vote. He served
two terms and was the 1 st Democrat to do so since FDR. 0 His
primary focus was on the economy and making opportunities available
to black Americans. 0 Under Clinton, the economy boomed, we had the
lowest poverty rate in 20yrs, and unemployment dropper by more than
2%. 0 Clinton dissappointed many African Americans with his signing
of the Welfare Reform Act, which adjusted the terms of welfare,
along with the crime bill and lack of health care reform. 0
Republicans began taking back the House and Senate in the late 90s
and this led to the fall of the progressivism seen in Clintons two
terms.
Slide 18
Conservative Critique
Slide 19
Black Politics in the New Millennium 0 The election of 2000
divided the nation on several fault lines: gender, race, sexual
orientation, religion, etc. 0 The contested election ended with
George W. Bush as president when the supreme court ruled in his
favor for Floridas electoral votes. 0 The U.S. Civil Rights
Commission found that tens of thousands of African Americans were
disenfranchised in Florida through the bogus voting.
Slide 20
Republican Triumph 0 The Republicans held a majority in
Congress, along with the presidency seat. 0 Bush, to placate black
criticism, hired Gen. Colin Powell as Sec. of State, and
Condoleezza Rice as national security advisor. 0 Bushs policies on
education, his decision to invade Iraq, and his lack of response
when Katrina hit ultimately led to massive public disapproval.
Slide 21
2008 Election: Pres. Obama 0 Obamas campaign efforts were
behind a call for change and an inspiration of hope. 0 He harshly
criticized the Bush administration for their lack of educational,
economic, and social policies. 0 His opponent, McCain, lost public
support when he helped pass legislation that bailed out Wall St.
during the economic crisis.
Slide 22
Conclusions 0 From the 1960s to today, the political power of
blacks in America expanded greatly. 0 The election of Barack Obama
marked a significant change in the American destiny for blacks. 0
Yet reminders of the short coming are still displayed in events
like Katrina, and the statistical evidence of black poverty, crime,
and unemployment.