The New Deal policies, while the greatest expansion of opportunity for the middle class in US history, systematically excluded African-Americans through explicit exclusions written into programs—the Social Security system excluded domestic and agricultural workers (80% of African-Americans at the time) and hospitals remained segregated until forced to integrate by Great Society policies.

factualpending

Speaker

Derrick Johnson

Evidence Quote

Southern legislators successfully advocated to exclude domestic and agricultural workers. 80% of African-Americans at that time were domestic and agricultural workers. So African-Americans went decades without the social safety net.

Source

Does American Capitalism Still Work?The Aspen Institute
Created: 8/11/2026, 7:21:54 AM

My Notes

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