AP® African American Studies review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/african-american-studies/units/4/4-15)
Unit 4 · Topic 4.15
4.15 Economic Growth and Black Political Representation
In the late twentieth century, the Black middle class grew and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 led to a sharp rise in Black elected officials, from local offices to Congress and, eventually, the presidency. Yet a large racial wealth gap remains, rooted in decades of discrimination in housing and employment.
Key terms
- Black middle class
- racial wealth gap
- Voting Rights Act of 1965
- Shirley Chisholm
- Congressional Black Caucus
Growth and lasting gaps
As schools and colleges desegregated in the 1950s and 1960s, more Black students earned degrees. By 2019, nearly one in four African American adults (23 percent) held at least a bachelor's degree. Moving to cities created more jobs and helped Black businesses grow. Black entrepreneurs have long built restaurants, banks, publishing houses and other businesses, some still operating today (3.9).
But a large wealth gap remains. Wealth means everything a family owns, like a home and savings, minus its debts, and it's different from income. In 2016 the median Black family had about $17,150 in wealth, compared with about $171,000 for the median white family, roughly a tenth as much. Discrimination in housing (4.5) and employment earlier in the century limited the wealth Black families could build and pass down.
The required 2020 Brookings Institution report by Andre M. Perry and Carl Romer uses charts to compare Black and white middle-class households and argues that the Black middle class, not only Black families in poverty, needs political attention.
The Voting Rights Act and Black representation
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 bans state and local laws and procedures that discriminate by race in voting. As a result, Black voting power grew, and so did Black representation, alongside the growing Black middle class. Between 1970 and 2006, the number of Black elected officials rose from about 1,500 to about 9,000, a sixfold increase. The biggest one-year jump came in 1971, reflecting the impact of the Black Freedom movement.
Many African Americans won influential positions as members of Congress, mayors, state and local legislators, judges and high-ranking federal officials.
Firsts in national leadership
One required source is Colin Powell's 1994 commencement address at Howard University, where he spoke to graduates about their responsibilities as the next generation of leaders. Some national firsts:
- Shirley Chisholm: in 1968, the first Black woman elected to Congress; in 1971 she helped found the Congressional Black Caucus, which supports Black candidates and pushes for reforms in health care, jobs and social services. In 1972 she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.
- Colin Powell: in 2001, the first Black secretary of state. He was followed by Condoleezza Rice, the first Black woman in that office.
- Barack Obama: elected in 2008 as the first Black president.
- Kamala Harris: elected in 2020 as the first Black vice president.
The official portraits
In 2018 the National Portrait Gallery unveiled portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama by two Black artists, both required sources. Kehinde Wiley painted the former president seated in a chair against a wall of green leaves and flowers, chosen to represent places from his life story. Amy Sherald painted the former first lady in a flowing, patterned gown, using the gray skin tones that are a signature of her style. Both artists are known for portraying Black subjects with dignity in spaces where they were long absent.
Worked examples
Try each one yourself first, then open the solution.
- Example 1
Explaining a law's impact
Explain how the Voting Rights Act of 1965 affected Black political representation in the late twentieth century.
Show the solutionHide the solution
- Step 1: State what the law did: banned racially discriminatory voting rules.
- Step 2: Give the effect with data: Black elected officials rose from about 1,500 in 1970 to about 9,000 in 2006.
- Step 3: Give an example: Shirley Chisholm and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Answer: Model answer: By banning discriminatory voting practices like literacy tests, the Voting Rights Act let millions of Black citizens vote freely. Black voting power grew, and the number of Black elected officials rose about sixfold, from roughly 1,500 in 1970 to about 9,000 in 2006. Leaders like Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman in Congress, helped found the Congressional Black Caucus to build on that power.
Common mistakes
- Confusing income and wealth. The racial gap in wealth is much larger than the gap in income.
- Thinking a growing middle class closed the wealth gap. Large disparities remain.
- Mixing up firsts: Chisholm was the first Black woman in Congress (1968), not the first Black member of Congress (that was in 1870, 3.1).
On the exam
- Data from reports like Brookings may appear as sources. Describe the trend, then explain its causes.
- Connect today's wealth gap to redlining (4.5) and the G.I. Bill (4.3).
Connected topics
Videos
Check yourself
4 questions on 4.15 Economic Growth and Black Political Representation. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median wealth, Black families (2016) | $17,150 |
| Median wealth, white families (2016) | $171,000 |
| Black adults with a bachelor's degree or higher (2019) | 23 percent |
| Black elected officials in the U.S. (1970) | About 1,500 |
| Black elected officials in the U.S. (2006) | About 9,000 |
Figures as given in the AP African American Studies course framework, compiled for this practice set
Which conclusion is best supported by the table?
The growth in Black elected officials after 1970 is best explained by
Historians explain the persistence of the wealth gap mainly by pointing to
Which pairing of a person with a historic first is correct?
0 of 4 answered