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When Affirmative Action Was White Summary

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The New Deal, World War II, and post-World War II marked significant periods in American history as the federal government created various programs to relieve the nation from the Great Depression and spur economic growth. However, as Ira Katznelson points out in his book, “When Affirmative Action Was White,” these programs held disparities that disproportionately benefited white Americans. This essay will examine how New Deal, World War II, and post-World War II programs represented affirmative action for white Americans.
In “When Affirmative Action Was White,” Katznelson explores how New Deal programs represented affirmative action for white Americans. The New Deal, created in the 1930s by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, aimed to restore …show more content…

The program still managed to exclude many African Americans from receiving the funds. According to Katznelson, “Black relief rates were high in the South, as in the North, but far less consistently… By 1935, ten southern states had lower relief rates for rural blacks than whites,” (pdf pg. 35). In some southern counties, for example in Georgia, “federal relief excluded all blacks and only included under 1 percent in Mississippi,” (pdf pg. 32). Katznelson goes on to explain how blacks had to be in more distress than whites to get help. Considering the trials African Americans had to endure during the Great Depression, such as having lower wages and being chosen last for job opportunities, it is clear that they would have been the ones to receive higher grants than white Americans. While FERA was meant to provide immediate relief, it still left many African Americans in the dark, while benefiting white …show more content…

One of the key benefits of the GI Bill was access to educational reforms. While many African Americans could not afford to take advantage of the educational benefits, those that could, were still at a disadvantage compared to white Americans. Black Americans were not given the adequate preparation needed for education, “Although these courses have, in every case, been approved by the Department of Education in the respective states, it is doubtful if many of them meet minimum standards for this type of training. In the absence of other opportunities, the Negro veteran may easily be exploited,” due to poverty and lack of resources like their white counterparts. (pdf pg.

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