Black Americans’ significant economic and civil rights progress threatened, report says

Nov 20, 2024 Story by: Editor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite decades of efforts, Black Americans continue to face significant barriers to equality and prosperity, according to the National Urban League 's latest State of Black America report. While some progress has been made since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the report highlights that advances in social, economic, and political spheres remain inadequate.

The report attributes this stagnation to challenges such as legal attacks on civil rights protections, resistance to affirmative action, and opposition to diversity and inclusion initiatives. National Urban League President Marc Morial reflected on this, stating, “Doors have been opened in higher education, government, and the private sector in that sixty-year period. That’s important. Every measure shows progress. But I would have thought we would have been much further along than we are in 2024 with respect to achieving a sense of parity in America.”

Persistent Economic and Educational Disparities

Economic disparities persist, with Black Americans earning only 64% of the income of their white counterparts—a gap that has remained unchanged for over two decades. Additionally, while high school dropout rates among Black students have decreased from 13.1% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2024, Black students are still more likely to face educational inequities, such as being taught by uncertified or inexperienced teachers.

Civic participation among Black Americans shows mixed results. In 2020, 69% of Black citizens were registered to vote, up from 64% in 2000. However, voter turnout in 2022 dropped to 42.3%, compared to 54% in 2002.

At the current rate of progress, it could take one to three centuries for Black Americans to achieve parity with their white peers, according to the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility.

Challenges to Diversity and Civil Rights

Efforts to promote diversity in leadership have seen gains in top corporations, government, and media. Yet, these advances face setbacks due to legal challenges, public backlash from conservative activists, and restrictions imposed by Republican lawmakers at the state and local levels.

Morial emphasized the resistance to progress, saying, “Notwithstanding the effort to move forward, there’s always been a movement of resistance to that progress, and that resistance has played a role in decelerating the progress that we need to make on the journey to parity. We see it being played out right now.”

He also pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, criticizing its stance on tools aimed at addressing racial discrimination, such as diversity policies and voting rights protections.

Biden Administration Efforts

The report evaluates President Joe Biden's administration, noting both achievements and shortcomings. While the administration has made progress, such as achieving record-low Black unemployment rates and improving access to healthcare and affordable housing, it has fallen short on key promises, including voting rights and policing reform.

Maya Wiley, co-author of the report and president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, warned of the ongoing ideological attacks undermining civil rights. “We are in a world of deep attack by an ideological extreme that wants to erase so much of the civil-rights movement,” she said.

A Call for Federal Action

On the eve of the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday voting rights marches in Selma, Alabama, Morial called on federal officials to strengthen protections for civil rights and support Black Americans’ socio-political progress. “This moment is a reminder about our obligation to confront voter suppression and continuing threats that we see when it comes to access to the ballot box,” he said.

Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, assured that the Justice Department remains committed to enforcing civil rights laws. “We’ve been working across the country to reach underserved communities so that we understand the problems that communities face,” she said. “Our country thrives when everyone has a voice in our democracy.”

As the nation reflects on the strides made since the civil rights movement, the report underscores the urgent need to address systemic inequities and accelerate progress for Black Americans. Source: PBS