In "America in Black and White," authors Stephan and Abigail Thernstrom agree that the black middle class expanded well before "affirmative action." The Thernstroms said, " . . . The growth of the black middle class long predates the adoption of race-conscious social policies. In some ways, indeed, the black middle class was expanding more rapidly before 1970 than after. . . . Many of the advances black Americans have made since the Great Depression occurred before anything that can be termed 'affirmative action' existed. . . . In the years since affirmative action, (the black middle class) has continued to grow, but not at a more rapid pace than in the preceding three decades, despite a common impression to the contrary."
Under Ronald Reagan -- who cut the top tax rate from 70 percent to 28 percent -- black income, business development and business growth exploded. According to National Review, "From the end of 1982 to 1989, black unemployment dropped 9 percentage points (from 20.4 percent to 11.4 percent), Hispanic unemployment dropped 7.3 percentage points (from 15.3 percent to 8.0 percent), while white unemployment dropped by only 4.0 percentage points. . . . A black entrepreneurial class flourished. According to the Census Bureau, the number of black-owned businesses increased from 308,000 in 1982 to 424,000 in 1987, a 38 percent rise. At the same time, the total number of firms in the U.S. rose by only 14 percent.
Receipts by black-owned firms more than doubled, from $9.6 billion to $19.8 billion. . . . From 1980 to 1990, the median income of black households grew 31 percent above inflation, compared to 19 percent growth for white households."
Under President Clinton, despite a tax increase, the black middle class continued its expansion. Between 1992 and 1997, there was a 25.7 percent increase in black-owned firms and a 32.5 percent increase in their gross sales.
The NAACP periodically accuses "Hollywood" of engaging in a "blackout." But in 2002, the Screen Actors Guild reported that 15.5 percent of all theatrical and TV roles went to blacks -- more than the percentage of the population of blacks in America. The Directors Guild of America recently reported that 6 percent of directors on 2003-04 season TV series were black, a 200 percent increase since 2000-01.
Back in 1963, Ebony magazine, a black monthly, ran a series called, "If I Were Young Today." Each month, a black high-achiever offered his or her advice to young blacks. Paul Williams, the "architect to the stars" who designed Los Angeles International Airport Theme Building, said: "Whatever one does as a profession or livelihood, he should endeavor to read the current magazines pertaining to his work. One must keep pace with progress and what the other fellow is thinking and doing. In order to do this he must read -- read -- read!!! He should strive to become a specialist and not just another architect, engineer or salesman."
None of those offering advice even hinted at a need for race-based preferences.
The road to success is simple, if not easily applied -- hard work, sacrifice, and above all, the refusal to think like a victicrat. You know, the same formula used by Alan Keyes.