Topic 4 - C4 - Social Change Flashcards
How had the political status of black Americans changed by the 1980s?
- RR appointed a black cabinet member and more black candidates were elected to political office.
- 1988, Jesse Jackson made a good run for the Democratic nomination for presidency but wasn’t elected due to anti semitic remarks.
What helped black Americans gain political status?
NAACP won cases in the 1980s that led to changes in to congressional districts and voting systems = helped black Americans become elected officials.
How did the number of black congressmen increase throughout the 90s?
Black congressmen 45 in 1990 and 69 in 1992.
When were black mayors beginning to be elected and where?
Chicago elected a black mayor in 1984, Philadelphia followed suit in 1988.
What evidence is there that black Americans still rarely won statewide elections?
1992 - sole black governor was Douglas Wilder of Virginia (1990-1994) and the only black senator was Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois.
Why is the 1980s known as the Hispanic decade?
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Mexican American Legal Defence and Educational Fund (MALDEF) became more effective in lobbying.
What legislation did LULAC and MALDEF help pass?
Immigration Reform Control Act (1986) to give more sympathy to the status of undocumented aliens
How did Hispanic political status grow?
RR appointed the first Hispanic cabinet member in 1989 and the no. of hispanics in the House of Representatives grew from 5 in 1970 → 10 in 1980 → 17 in 1992.
How did Native Americans achieve more political independence as in 1990 - ¼ NAs lived on a tribal reservation?
More assertive over sovereignty and land rights in 1981-92. Merrion (1982) SC supported NA tribal sovereignty and tax powers.
What SC ruling limited Native American political independence by not allowing NA powers to override state powers?
Duro v Reina (1990) ruled that tribal courts didn’t have criminal jurisdiction over someone who was not a member of their tribe.
What is an example of police racism in a high speed car chase in 1991 that led to riots in LA, Atlanta, Bham and Chicago where 55 died and 2300 were injured?
White police caught up with black suspect Rodney King and were filmed beating him up, white jury found police not guilty
What is an example of racism in 1992 in the Sheriff’s Department of Volusia County in Florida on the interstate highway?
Blacks and Hispanics only made up 5% of the drivers but were 70% of those stopped and were stopped for longer periods than white drivers.
Why were Asian Americans convinced of racism from 1982 when Chinese American Vincent Chin was clubbed to death?
Clubbed to death in Detroit by two white car workers who thought he was Japanese and responsible for decline in car industry. Killers only given 3 years probation.
What semi racist ruling did the SC rule?
1990 - SC ruled that states could deny employment to peyote users because peyote was an illicit drug not part of an essential religious practice.
How had economic status of minorites not improved?
- 1970-1990 30% blacks lived in poverty
- Blacks 2x more likely to be poor than whites
- 1990 Median black household income as $24,000 while for whites it was $40,100
- ¼ of hispanics lived below poverty line
- NA income was below half of the national average
How had the economic status of black Americans improved?
Black unemployment 2X that of whites and when ⅔ of Chicago’s south side black males had been employed in 1960, only ⅓ employed by 1990
How did affirmative action help minorities after it was used in major corporations and unis by 1992?
- 1983 - 38.2% of black students went to college after high school vs 55% of whites. 1992 - 51.5% of blacks did vs 63.9% of whites
- % of NAs with a college education increased by 20% between 1970-1990
- % of Hispanics with a college education increased by ⅓
What impact did affirmative action have on minorities?
Average black incomes rose by nearly 20% 1981-1992
Average hispanic income in constant dollars was $10,524 in 1975 → $28,822 in 1992
How did the SC lack support for affirmative action?
City of Richmond v Croson Company (1989) SC ruled against their policy of having 30% contracts given to minorities
How had racial tolerance improved by 1992?
1992 - ½ black population lived in neighbourhoods where more than 50% of whites lived. Number of interracial marriages rising.
How had racial tolerance not improved by 1992?
- Slowly became re seged after 1988.
- Proportion of hispanics in mostly minority schools rose from 55% to 74% between 1968-1995.
How and when did southern desegregation peak?
Southern deseg peaked in 1988 - 43% of black children attended schools that were more than 50% white.
How were the SC, RR and Congress divided over racial employment discrimination?
- Grove City College recieved fed. aid so SC said they couldn’t discriminate on race
- Congress wanted to pass `1988 CR restoration Act
- RR vetoed it but Cong overrode it and said if recieving fed funds, most comply with CRA in all areas
What was the ethnic make up of the judiciary?
Most of the judiciary were young white males. Only 7/368 were black, 2/368 were asian and 15/368 were hispanic
How did California express intolerance for hispanics in 1986?
By voting for Proposition 63 - said English was the official language but 1989 LA school board agreed to bilingual education
How was respect towards NAs shown?
Museum show - ‘The West as America: Reinterpreting Images of the Frontier, 1820-1920’ emphasised white mistreatment of NAs - reps threatened to cut their budget
What is an example of black female success?
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986-2011) talk show with celeb interviews, self help advice, book recommendations etc. No. 1 daytime show for 2 decades, 48 million watched it a week
How does the Cosby Show depict racial tolerance?
The Cosby Show - about a mc black family, top rated sitcom for most of the late 80s - 30 million US households watched it in 1986 and 87
How successful were blacks in music?
Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Prince were all black superstars. 19 of the 50 top albums were by black artists in 1985, 8 top 12 in 1986
How successful were blacks in sport?
Michael Jordan - top black sportstar, earned $21 million 1992 - 63% of top football players, 33% of baseball players and 75% of basketball players were black
Why did some believe that black sporting success was negative?
As it reinforced stereotypes that they were natural athletes, were violent and lacked intellect. Others believed it gave those in ghettos role models to look up to
Despite not having the ERA, what successive acts guaranteed women’s rights?
- CRA 1964
- Title IX of Education Amendments of 1972 - protection from gender discrimination in education
- Multiple court decisions
- Decrees by federal bureaucracy
How did women have an increased role in work?
Grew from 38% in 1960 to 57.8% in 1990 but in reality it was the benefits of a combined income
What inequalities did women face in the workplace?
- Women’s wages were rising but only 62% of mens in 1980 and 72% in 1990
- ⅕ doctors and lawyers were women
How did tolerance of sexual harrassment decrease?
1980 - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) stated that sexual harassment was a form of sex discrimination which was prohibited.
What SC case demonstrated a lack of tolerance for sexual harassment and what impact had it had by 1991?
Meritor Savings Bank v Vinson (1986) enabled women to take action over sexual harassment in the workplace, by 1991 SH cases filed annually reached 6000.
How was RVW being chipped away at?
Webster v Reproductive Services of Missouri - allowed restrictions on funding for abortion
Planned Parenthood v Casey (1992) had to have counselling and then wait 24 hours before abortion
What prevented abortion being criminalised?
Sandra Day O’Connor first female SC judge
How did women in politics increase?
- Gerald Ford - first to appoint a women in cabinet - most of his successors felt compelled to do so also
- RR criticised when he failed to appoint a women to his cabinet
- Geraldine Ferraro was dems vice president candidate in 1984 election
How were women still underrepresented in politics?
1979-80 only 16 congresswomen and no senators
1991-1992 28 congresswomen and 2 senators
What was the case of Clarence Thomas?
Black American accused of sh by black law professor Anita Hill. Dismissal of Anita’s testimony by the 96% male senate caused female campaigners who had been quiet to take action.
What impact did the Clarence Thomas case have?
CT case led to more women standing for office in 1992. Number of women elected had almost doubled by 1993 to 47 but still this was out of 435. 7/50 senators were women.
How did Conservatives feel about women in the workplace?
That women were taking men’s jobs, claimed that working mothers could not look after their families properly and that women in the workplace led to higher divorce rates.
How had divorce rates fluctuated until 1990?
% of marriages ending in divorce increased from 23% in 1955 to 52% in 1980 and fell to 49% in 1990.
What was the impact of Martha Griffiths as a women in congress and other women in congress?
- Helped pass ERA (1972).
- Child Support Recovery Act (1992) - designed to ensure that fathers paid child support.
- 1988 Women’s Business Ownership Act - gave financial aid to women to help them establish businesses.
