Presidential viewpoints on addressing racial inequality differ by administration. Key initiatives include fair housing, affirmative action, and grassroots community efforts, with a historical acknowledgment of racism as an underlying cause of inequality.
The perspective of a president on how to remedy racial inequality may differ based on administration policies and historical context. Throughout history, the approach to addressing racial inequality has evolved. President Obama, during his tenure, proposed new rules under the Fair Housing Act aimed at creating more integrated communities, although subsequent administrations, like that of President Trump, have sought to weaken the Fair Housing Act, primarily through lax enforcement of regulations. Additionally, movements like Black Power and community initiatives have emerged to fight for equality at the grassroots level.
President Johnson's Great Society aimed at reforms in cities, countryside, and classrooms as key areas for addressing inequality. His administration was prompted by the Kerner Commission of 1968, which named white racism as the main cause of urban violence, recommending the construction of new housing, job creation, and ending de facto segregation.
President Kennedy, responding to the injustices of his time, called for a "national assault on the causes of poverty" and introduced measures such as the Council for Equal Employment Opportunity, which required government-funded projects to take affirmative actions in hiring. These historical viewpoints illustrate ongoing efforts to tackle the complex issue of racial inequality in America.