Last night on our show, we discussed a series of executive orders and how figures like MAGA supporters and Donald Trump have been targeting Black America with policies that seem designed to roll back decades of civil rights progress. As always, I insist that if you’re not having a conversation about money in America, you’re missing the core of the issue. Money and power have always been intertwined in American politics, and today’s policies reflect a long history of white backlash against Black economic empowerment.

In every era of Black success, there has been a corresponding wave of conservative reaction. When we examine the history of America, we see a pattern: as soon as African Americans began to make significant advances, white elites mobilized to reverse or undermine those gains. Many today claim that these conflicts are simply about class, not race. But history tells a different story—one where race and economic control have been inseparable.

Consider the Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. This period, from roughly 1860 to 1880, was marked by a radical transformation led by the Radical Republicans. Unlike today’s political parties, these Republicans were unyielding in their desire to restructure American society.

They championed the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments—the Reconstruction Amendments—and passed landmark laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1866. These measures were designed not only to define citizenship but also to provide freed African Americans with the economic tools necessary to thrive in a nation that had long denied them basic rights.

In his seminal work, Black Reconstruction in America, W.E.B. Du Bois meticulously details how, during Reconstruction, African Americans began to assume leadership roles. They ran for state legislatures, were elected to Congress, and even held major influence in regions like South Carolina, where Black legislators played a significant role in shaping public education and local governance.

This period witnessed the birth of Black Wall Streets and a flourishing of Black enterprise—a time when African Americans were building schools, opening businesses, and seizing opportunities that had been denied for generations.

Yet, these achievements sparked an intense backlash. As Black political and economic power grew, many white citizens grew restless and resentful. In the aftermath of Reconstruction, white leaders engineered the Great Compromise of 1877, a political deal that effectively ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops from the South. This retreat paved the way for the implementation of Jim Crow laws, a system designed to disenfranchise and marginalize Black Americans for nearly a century.

The cycle of progress and backlash did not end with the Reconstruction era. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s marked a second major period of Black empowerment. The struggles of figures like Rosa Parks and the Black women of Montgomery led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and subsequent legislation that sought to level the playing field.

However, as soon as these gains were made, a counter-reaction emerged. Figures such as Barry Goldwater opposed these landmark laws, arguing that they would disrupt the established social order. This opposition set the stage for decades of political maneuvering aimed at rolling back civil rights protections.

Fast forward to recent years, and we see echoes of these historical patterns in the policies being enacted today. New executive orders have been issued that attack affirmative action programs, limit funding for scholarship and internship initiatives, and undermine access to the very economic opportunities that were hard-won by previous generations. Critics argue that these orders represent a deliberate strategy to dismantle the legal framework that has supported Black success since 1964.

The current assault on Black America is not merely a political maneuver—it is an economic one. By targeting the economic levers that have enabled African Americans to build wealth and influence, today’s policies aim to reverse progress and reestablish a social order where power remains concentrated in the hands of a few. This approach is reminiscent of historical efforts to control Black labor and property, where African Americans were systematically denied the ability to accumulate wealth and secure their place in society.

The conversation about these issues is more urgent than ever. As we observe growing movements against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in education and government, it is clear that these are not isolated events. They are part of a broader attempt to reframe the narrative of American identity—one that privileges a narrow conception of citizenship and undermines the gains made by Black communities over generations.

Ultimately, what we are witnessing is a struggle for the soul of America. It is a battle over who gets to participate fully in the American promise of freedom, opportunity, and equality. The backlash against Black success is not just about policies or political ideology—it is fundamentally about power and control. The same forces that resisted Black empowerment during Reconstruction and the Civil Rights era are now mobilizing to reverse those gains once again.

In this context, it is vital to understand that the fight for civil rights has always been about more than just legal equality; it has been about economic justice and the right to control one’s destiny. The current wave of executive orders and political rhetoric is a continuation of a centuries-old struggle—a struggle in which every period of Black progress has been met with a fierce and determined backlash.

As we move forward, it is imperative that we remain vigilant and engaged. The history of America teaches us that progress is hard-won and always under threat. We must continue to challenge policies that seek to defund Black America and undermine the economic and social structures that support Black empowerment. Only by understanding the historical roots of these issues can we hope to secure a more just and equitable future for all.