By Dedrick Asante-Muhammad
President, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
When the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies was founded in 1970, it was a time of promise. Black Americans had pushed this country to live up to its democratic ideals, and a new wave of Black elected officials was entering public office for the first time. But history rarely moves in a straight line.
Just as the Civil Rights Movement brought historic gains in the 1960s, the Reagan administration in the 1980s brought a backlash. And today, we are seeing that pattern repeat itself. After the 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked a national reckoning with racial injustice, it didn’t take long for the pendulum to swing again. The dismantling of diversity programs, the rise of misinformation, and the targeting of civil rights protections under Donald Trump echo strategies we’ve seen before.
For those of us who understand the work of the Joint Center and the long arc of Black political struggle, the parallels between Reagan and Trump are not just familiar — they’re instructive.
A Think Tank for the People
The Joint Center was created to support Black leaders navigating government institutions that were not built for us. White politicians had party machines, donors, and think tanks behind them. Black leaders had communities that believed in them — but often little institutional backing. We filled that gap by offering research, policy support, and a network for connection and strategy.
By the late 1970s, a new generation of Black leadership was rising—more policy-savvy, more nationally connected, and determined to build lasting power. The Joint Center evolved too, expanding from political training to deep policy research and economic analysis.
That growth would prove essential in the Reagan years.
Reagan’s Policies, Black Realities
Ronald Reagan’s presidency brought a sharp turn in federal policy. His agenda—often called “New Federalism” — shifted power to state governments and slashed federal investment in urban areas, education, and civil rights enforcement. While Reagan preached a “colorblind” America, his policies deepened racial inequality.
We saw it coming. At the Joint Center, we responded with research and action. We launched a Voting Rights Project in 1981, spotlighted urban disinvestment, and pushed back against narratives that blamed Black communities for systemic problems.
In 1982, we published data showing just how wide the racial divide was. While 74% of white Americans supported Reagan, only 25% of Black Americans did. Eighty-five percent of Black respondents believed his policies would harm them personally. They were right.
Building During Backlash
But we didn’t just sound alarms — we built. In 1980, we helped convene more than 1,000 Black leaders in Richmond, Virginia, to develop a national Black agenda focused on economic empowerment, youth opportunity, and international solidarity. We supported efforts like Operation Big Vote, which aimed to boost Black voter turnout nationwide. We tracked the rise of Black elected officials and amplified voices calling for a fairer economy and foreign policy.
When the Supreme Court ruled in City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co. that affirmative action programs needed to show local, specific discrimination to be legal, we knew it wasn’t just a legal setback—it was a message. The system would recognize racism in theory but demand impossible standards to fix it. Still, we kept pushing.
Our then-president Eddie Williams became a trusted national voice. We partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus and TransAfrica, advised local governments, and created a pipeline of research and policy ideas that would influence the next generation of Black leadership.
Trump’s First 100 Days — and the Fight Ahead
The early days of the Trump presidency — and the years that followed — felt eerily similar. DEI programs came under attack. Civil rights protections were rolled back. Racial equity became a political wedge issue once again.
Just like in the 1980s, we saw a narrative war unfold. Reagan gave us the myth of the “welfare queen.” Trump pushed the lie of “reverse racism.” Both distorted the truth and fueled backlash.
But history also shows us that moments of resistance can fuel transformation. The Joint Center’s work in the 1980s helped pave the way for leaders like Jesse Jackson and Ron Brown. Today, we’re seeing unprecedented Black political power: more Black members of Congress, more Black mayors, and a growing number of Black senators.
The challenge now is organizing that power for long-term change.
The Path Forward
Here’s what we’ve learned:
- Backlash is inevitable — but so is progress. The fight for racial justice is always met with resistance. We can’t be surprised. We must be prepared.
- Narrative matters. Research and truth-telling are tools of resistance. We must counter lies with data and elevate our own stories.
- We need each other. Coalition building across generations, geographies, and sectors isn’t optional—it’s how we win.
- We must lead with intention. Political representation matters, but coordinated action turns power into policy.
At the end of the Reagan era, the Joint Center stood stronger, having helped build a more organized, informed, and resilient Black leadership class. That same work is needed today.
We’ve been here before. And we know how to win.
