Willie Wilson: Where do Black Americans go from here? – Chicago Tribune

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The 48.3 million Black Americans in the United States are left wondering: With President Donald Trump’s direct assault on civil rights, federal agencies, and diversity, equity and inclusion policies, where do we go from here?
The Black American middle class was largely built on federal government jobs at the U.S. Postal Service and other agencies. Black people account for 19% of the federal workforce, 29% of workers at the USPS and 30% at the recently dismantled Department of Education. The cuts to federal government jobs — coupled with the gutting of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and undermining of federal efforts to collect data that helps combat racial inequities — could harm Black and brown Americans. Trump’s executive orders make it more difficult to prove discrimination by private companies.
“For decades, the federal government provided both reliable jobs and guardrails to offset systemic racial bias in hiring and promotions, offering an alternative for Black workers who might be overlooked or ignored in the private sector,” NBC recently reported. “But vast cuts by the Trump administration, led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, are threatening to close down that once-dependable path to financial stability.”
The impact of federal employee job cuts will be felt in every state. In Illinois, there were 44,784 federal employees as of March 2024, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Media outlet TheGrio noted that Pew Research Center data “shows that the status of Black Americans in the middle class remains fragile, as they are more likely to fall out of the middle class as they often fall in the lower-tier of income. Any disruptions to the job security within the Black middle class could see progress reverted.”
Last year, the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility released a report that says at the current pace of change, it could take decades to improve outcomes for Black Americans and more than three centuries to get to full equality. Another report by the Institute for Policy Studies and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition suggests that at the current rate of progress, it will take more than 500 years for Black people to reach economic parity.
Where is the sense of urgency from people of good conscience to close persistent racial disparities? The insidious wealth disparity leads to economic instability, social unrest, unequal opportunities, poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancy. Economic freedom liberates families, reduces disparities, stabilizes communities and strengthens democracy. Tearing down agencies that helped create the Black middle class and removing civil rights protections will widen disparities.
To be clear, I agree government needs to be right-sized — but you don’t employ a chainsaw to do that. Just as a surgeon uses a scalpel to cut out a tumor, a similar approach is needed for federal, state and local governments. The government workforce should be treated with dignity and respect. The Trump-Musk approach of throwing out the baby with the bathwater lacks compassion and leads to chaos.
Recently, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in Chicago was closed. There are 906 civil rights complaints concerning school districts, colleges and universities throughout the Midwest, NBC affiliate WMAQ-Ch. 5 reports. It is unclear what will happen with those complaints.
It is ironic Black Americans are facing the greatest threat to equality, fairness and justice at the zenith of Black political power. A record number 67 Black lawmakers are serving in the 119th Congress. The minority leader in the House is Black. This means we not only have a seat at the table but also are setting the agenda. Black elected leaders will go down in history as having been at the table while Trump unleashed polices to set Black Americans back hundreds of years.
Black people have been a consistent base of support for the Democratic Party. However, Democrats have not articulated a strategy for lower prices at grocery stores and gas stations. Costs continue to soar for health, home and car insurance. The demoralized Democrats are twisting in the wind, while Trump does a number on Black Americans.
The Republican Party has supported Trump’s policies with near unanimity. This period is not a golden age — but rather the age of feckless politicians.
The following are recommendations to save the Black middle class:
The president’s quest to “Make America Great Again” by dismantling federal government agencies and DEI policies, rolling back civil rights protections and cutting civil rights departments in agencies under the guise of efficiency will harm Black Americans, all women and others. Perhaps it’s time to dust off our peaceful protest shoes.
I write this commentary to make those comfortable with allowing policies to set Black Americans back uncomfortable.
Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.
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