Discusses demographic trends among Blacks in relation to their educational and economic needs. (GC)

Fanny Jackson Coppin was born a slave in 1837 and graduated from Oberlin College in 1865. During her career, she worked to improve formal educational opportunities for young Blacks of both sexes and also led efforts to provide jobs and improve the economic status of Black Americans. (Author/GC)

Describes self-help programs initiated by Black women between 1895 and 1925 in Tuskegee, Alabama; Hampton, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Baltimore, Maryland. Poor housing, health concerns, racial discrimination, inadequate schools, and the lack of economic opportunities were some of the barriers challenged by these programs. (Author/GC)

Critically reviews the current combined writing of Moynihan, Glazer, Herrnstein, Armor, Banfield, Jensen and others, discussing historical perspectives on inequality, the idea of equality, access to schooling as a means toward equality, unequal economic opportunity, and misrepresentations of the adequacies of the Black family. (JM)

Reviews trends in Black economic progress and compares data for Black and White families. Describes how structural changes in families and income inequalities are symptoms of a growing Black underclass. Calls for policies to reduce joblessness among underclass men and increase child support by absentee fathers. (MW)