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OP-ED: Black Americans Are Winning with President Trump

NNPA NEWSWIRE — President Trump is taking action to ensure that Black Americans have unparalleled opportunity in the American economy. A major piece of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 were Opportunity Zones. The administration identified over 8,700 economically distressed communities and packaged tax incentives for anyone willing to invest time, resources, and capital to these underserved corners of America.

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Dr. Ben Carson speaking in Des Moines, Iowa. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

By The Honorable Dr. Benjamin Carson

Actions speak louder than words, and the Trump Administration has bellowed its vision for Black America. For years, politicians have demonstrated reform and the advancement of our communities. The results are far from what you hear in a stump speech. President Trump has fundamentally altered the ways of Washington for the better, and Black Americans are reaping some of the biggest rewards. As we approach the 2020 Election, we should embrace conservative policies that are working and reject big government politicians whose policies have failed us. The era of false promises is over. Let’s vote using evidence versus rhetoric.

President Trump is the only politician in recent memory who has a record of making sure Black Americans are a priority. His pro-growth policies have brought everyone to the table. President Trump believes in equal rights, not extra rights. Rather than pander or treat any American as a special voting bloc, his view is that Americans are patriots and deserve a country that works on their behalf. That’s why I endorsed then-candidate Donald Trump in March 2016, pledged to help him get elected and have served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. I knew he would make Washington work for all Americans – including the Black community.

Chicago is America’s third most populous city and is where many Obama administration alumni began their careers. Chicago’s population is over one-third Black and Democratic party policies have done an incredible disservice for generations. The Cloverhill Bakery in Northwest Chicago was found guilty of employing over 800 illegal immigrants using false identification. After the investigation and action from ICE, the new employees were 90 percent Black and received a higher wage than the prior illegal immigrants. A harsh reality is that illegal immigration siphons wages, jobs, and housing from Black Americans. Yet, no pundit or political spinster will ever say that out loud. Instead, they insist that putting America First is somehow against our patriotic interests.

Over nine million black Americans live in poverty, yet Democrats continually put illegal immigrants first. Immigration is good when done legally and can be very advantageous when done in a thoughtful and compassionate way.

The Trump Administration is committed to reversing this trend by aggressively tackling some of the root issues causing generational poverty – access to education and reviving distressed communities. President Trump has given more money to Historically Black Colleges and Universities than any president ever elected and has waived an additional $322 million in HBCU federal debt. Moreover, $100 million for HBCU scholarships and research funding for land-grant institutions were allocated in the recent Farm Bill. This is a stark contrast to the previous administration, which drove a wedge between the government and HBCUs.

However, rather than throwing more money at the same problem and expecting different results, President Trump is taking action to ensure that Black Americans have unparalleled opportunity in the American economy. A major piece of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 were Opportunity Zones. The administration identified over 8,700 economically distressed communities and packaged tax incentives for anyone willing to invest time, resources, and capital to these underserved corners of America.

Opportunity Zones have long been deemed as a bipartisan policy goal that could help tackle the desperate need for capital in otherwise ignored parts of our country. The Trump Administration is expecting $100 billion in these communities and private sector money is beginning to pour in. Opportunity Zones can reawaken Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and cities long forgotten, but represented, by complacent and ineffective politicians. Rather than rely on the government for an answer, President Trump knows that American ingenuity, work ethic, and entrepreneurial spirit are how we improve our situations.

While the Trump Administration sets its eyes towards the future, we are also set on improving the lives of Black Americans today. Funding for public housing repairs is at the highest level in a decade since the one-time Recovery Act, thanks to President Trump. Last year, the city of Baltimore received billions of dollars in federal aid from this Administration, yet the troubled city remains in stagnant disrepair. The current funding bill in the senate, if signed by the President would provide a record level of homeless program funding from California to New York.

While Democrats – including a young Delaware Senator named Joe Biden – were the architects of the notorious “3 strikes rule” that the NAACP deems directly responsible for the disproportionate imprisonment of millions of minority men, President Trump has just passed the most comprehensive prison reform bill in over three decades – resulting in the immediate release of over 1200 non-violent minority offenders.

Under the Trump Administration, the African American poverty rate is at a record low and historic, bipartisan criminal justice reform was signed – giving non-violent offenders a second chance at life and the American Dream. We are not just getting people out of prison, we are concentrating on providing them with training, education and skills that will provide a great alternative to a life of crime. The results speak for themselves. President Trump has done more for Black Americans in his first two and a half years in office than Democrats have in decades.

That’s why the launch of Black Voices for Trump is so critical. This coalition will focus on highlighting those accomplishments and sharing stories of success. The status quo has been changed forever under President Trump, and Black America is better because of his leadership.

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EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

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By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025

The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.

You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.

After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”

“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.

Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.

The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.

As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.

Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.

And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.

Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.

Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.

I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.

I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.

In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.

For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.

So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.

Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.

I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”

Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.

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Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.

In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.

Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.

In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.

Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.

West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.

Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.

“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”

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Juneteenth and President Trump

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

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By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent

President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”

This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.

The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.

The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.

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