National Archives This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Open Search

Fact Sheets

President Donald J. Trump Is Working to Expand Opportunity and Prosperity for African Americans

Economy & Jobs

Issued on:

PROMOTING OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY: President Trump’s pro-growth economic agenda is creating more economic prosperity and opportunity for all Americans.

  • Under President Donald J. Trump, the economy is soaring and delivering more opportunity and prosperity for African Americans.
    • Last year, African American unemployment fell to a record low of 5.9 percent.
    • The poverty rate for African Americans reached the lowest level ever recorded in 2017.
  • President Trump’s historic tax cut legislation included new Opportunity Zone Incentives to promote investment in low-income communities across the country.
    • 8,764 communities across the country have been designated as Opportunity Zones.
    • Opportunity Zones are expected to spur $100 billion in long-term private capital investment in economically distressed communities across the country.
  • Through deregulation, tax reform, and job training, President Trump is creating a better climate for minority-owned businesses and workers.
  • The Administration’s Pledge to America’s Workers has secured private sector commitments to provide 6.5 million training and education opportunities for American workers.

TRANSFORMING OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM: President Trump signed historic bipartisan criminal justice reform that made our justice system fairer. 

  • President Trump signed the landmark FIRST Step Act that reformed decades of policies that have failed Americans.
  • The FIRST Step Act reformed sentencing laws that disproportionately harmed African Americans.
  • The law reformed mandatory minimums that created inequitable outcomes.
  • The FIRST Step Act reduced enhanced penalties for certain non-violent repeat drug offenders and eliminated the three-strike mandatory life provision.
  • This historic legislation will help inmates successfully rejoin society by promoting participation in vocational training, education programs, or faith-based programs.

PRIORITIZING EDUCATION: President Trump has made supporting our Nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and school choice priorities for his Administration.

  • Last year, President Trump signed legislation increasing Federal funding to HBCU programs by more than 14 percent.
  • The President signed legislation forgiving Hurricane Katrina debt that threatened HBCUs.
  • In February 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Initiative on HBCUs in the White House.
  • President Trump has called on Congress to pass school choice legislation so that no child is trapped in a failing school because of his or her zip code.
  • The President signed funding legislation in September 2018 that increased funding for school choice by $42 million.
  • The tax cuts signed into law by President Trump promote school choice by allowing families to use 529 college savings plans for elementary and secondary education.