Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
1
Exclusion from the Prosperity of the Affluent Society
Poverty in the 1950s Exclusion from the Prosperity of the Affluent Society
2
The Poverty Line Poverty Line- minimum income required to support a family 20% of Americans (30 million people) lived below poverty line in the 1950s People only saw general prosperity “Everyone can afford a comfortable existence” Michael Harrington, The Other America 1962 Alerted mainstream Run-down Communities Poverty Housing, food, education, medical care
3
Exclusion from Prosperity
Single Mothers Elderly Minorities Puerto Ricans Mexicans Immigrants Rural Americans African Americans Whites Inner City Residents Native Americans
4
Inner City Middle-class families move to suburbs
Left behind poor, less-educated Cities lose money paid in taxes by middle- class Cities can’t afford to provide Public transportation Housing Other Services Cities Decline
5
Inner City Urban Renewal Programs- eliminate poverty and associated problems (housing) Tear down slums, build new high-rise housing Evict tenants from housing projects if they earn higher income Encourages people to remain poor Housing destroyed Didn’t create enough new housing for population Replaced with roads, parks, universities, shopping centers
6
African Americans By 1960, more than 3 million African Americans migrated to Northern cities from South Search for Jobs, want to escape: Violence Racial intimidation Discrimination Racial discrimination Housing Schools Hiring- last hired, first fired Salaries- worst paying jobs, 51% of white salaries Medical care
7
Hispanics Similar problems of discrimination as African Americans
Bracero Program 5 million Mexicans come to US to work on farms and ranches Temporary contract workers Lived in extreme poverty and hardship Shacks Homeless Long hours, little pay, poor conditions
8
Native Americans Poorest ethnic group in America Termination Policy
Income $1000 less than African American families Termination Policy US government withdrew all official recognition of Natives as separate groups Made them subject to white laws Attempt to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream culture Removes Natives from Reservations Developers took advantage of Native American lands Made poverty worse Crowded into cities Job Discrimination Life expectancy=37 years Lose political discourse
9
Appalachia Mountainous region from Georgia to New York Extreme poverty
Coal mining backbone of region Mechanization- more machines replace men Companies close Unemployment increases 1.5 million people leave Appalachia to find work in cities Lack of health care Fewer doctors per 1000 people than anywhere else Nutritional deficiency Infant mortality Poor schools
10
Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency- antisocial or criminal behavior in young people Between , 45% rise in juvenile crime rates Reasons spread across class and race Television Movies Comic Books Racism Busy parents Rising divorce rate Stereotype teenagers as juvenile delinquents Education Crisis Baby boomers enter school Strain public school funding Emphasis in math and science Lack of religion Military draft anxiety Rebellion against conformity Lack of discipline Boredom- sought new thrills Poverty
Similar presentations
