I'm A Good Black Person, Promise

You would have to live in a cave with no social mediia not to know about the activity of ICE or whoever is under the masks trying to hide their identity. There have been horror story after horror story of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS being snatched off the streets and taken who knows where, being CHEERED by MAGA. When ever a minority speaks up, they are name called and/or accused of hating whites. Well, get ready to say those same things about me.

Many people say they are getting what they deserve coming to America illegally and then committing crime. And we DO have an immigration problem and a cruelty problem. Other ethnicities are watching the callous and at times vicious way Hispanics are being treated. There are many illegal immigrants in America, there is a large Russian population in Oregon. Those immigrants are not checked for documentation nor targeted in any way. If you are an African American, your antenna should be up. Blacks were FORCED immigrants and once their FREE manual labor was not ALLOWED by law, white's no longer had an appetite for Black people and called for them to be, "Sent BACK to Africa."

Just like Hispanics and other Latin people are just being sent away SOMEWHERE, Black people are wondering, will the call for them to be deported to another country be raised again. In an compassionless and lawless Trump administration, this fear may become reality.

History no longer wants American History to include slavery. The narrative is being changed, slaves were HAPPY, even thankful to be housed and fed by Christian-oriented Masters. Republican officials have floated that the slave was happy to have work, food, housing, and work. They were taken care of and thankful. Only a white person WANTS to believe that.

The history of the slave, or Black American is being rewitten. Those who accept a different accounting of American history are name called. They have been put in the WOKE catergory which is believing the opposite of the Republican mindset. As with DEI where the white people claim any position which requires education must have been given to an unqaulified Black person over a entitled white person. The white person's intelligence or competency is never questioned. If a white person applies for a job, then they ARE quaslified. End of story. There was not even a call to see if Black people ARE qualified for a job, its assumed they are NOT.

But Blacks did well for themselves. The number and rate of Black Americans graduating from college increased significantly after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The act helped dismantle many of the systemic barriers that had historically blocked access to higher education for Black Americans, such as segregation and unequal funding for schools. While the Voting Rights Act primarily addressed voting rights, it was part of a larger civil rights movement that, along with subsequent legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and affirmative action policies, created new opportunities for Black students. Blacks are still considered uneducated and only criminals.

Historically and currently, Black people have achieved excellence in all fields despite significant barriers. A wide range of professions have been transformed and advanced by the ingenuity and talent of Black individuals. Artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kara Walker, and Kerry James Marshall have gained international acclaim, while earlier pioneers such as Augusta Savage and Jacob Lawrence were central to the Harlem Renaissance. 

Medicine: Trailblazers include Dr. Charles Drew, who developed blood storage techniques, and Dr. Alexa Canady, the first Black female neurosurgeon in the United States. Aerospace: Dr. Mae Jemison was the first Black woman to travel in space, while Katherine Johnson's mathematical calculations were critical to early NASA missions. Invention: Inventive minds have shaped daily life. Garrett Morgan invented the three-position traffic signal, and Lonnie G. Johnson, a NASA engineer, invented the Super Soaker water gun. 

Many would say, this DEPORTATION scheme began because of Barak Obama's presidential win. The truth of Black intelligence was being DISCREDITED every day a Black man who was NOT the accepted diffinition of a Black person. The nation, saw INTELLIGENCE, charisma, and moral grounding in the Black man who was to be considered dumb, shifty, lazy, and violent. Obama caused PANIC among the whites. Their lie/propaganda exposed. The religious Right hatched a plan to make minorities ANIMALISTIC again as the SLAVE had been without protest. Law: Thurgood Marshall became the first Black Supreme Court Justice, and lawyers like Fred Gray were central to the Civil Rights Movement. Politics: Barack Obama served as the first Black President of the United States, and Kamala Harris is the first Black and first South Asian Vice President. Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to Congress and to run for president with a major party. 

Despite historic obstacles, Black entrepreneurs have built successful businesses across various sectors. Historic Businesses: Madame C.J. Walker built an empire as a haircare pioneer in the early 20th century, though her business isn't listed in the search results. Modern Business: Today, Black-owned businesses are thriving in sectors such as healthcare and social assistance, professional services, and transportation. Robert Johnson became the first Black billionaire by founding Black Entertainment Television (BET). There are approximately 1.79 million Black millionaires in America, according to recent estimates, making up about 8% of the country's total millionaire population. This number has grown significantly since 2020, with the amount of African American millionaires increasing over fivefold from 260,000.  

Despite the accomplishments of Black people, social media shows most Americans, Republicans, believe only MINORITIES receive government assistance and want lazy Black people to get a job.White people make up the largest racial group among SNAP recipients, with estimates ranging from about 35% to 45% of all participants. While white individuals represent the largest share in terms of raw numbers, other racial groups, such as Black and Hispanic individuals, have a higher percentage of their total population participating in the program. 

Food Research & Action Center and Peterson Foundation reports show that White participants are the largest single group. For example, one report lists White participants at 37%. Despite being the largest group, White individuals have a lower per capita participation rate compared to other racial groups. This means that while white people are the biggest group of recipients, a larger proportion of the total Black and Hispanic populations use SNAP benefits. Depending on the source and the year of the data, the exact percentage can vary slightly. For example, one source cites 35% for White participants, while another cites 44.6% of adult recipients. 

Approximately 39.6% to 42% of Medicaid enrollees are white, non-Hispanic, with recent data showing around 39.6% and older data indicating about 42%. White people make up a significant portion of Medicaid recipients, though the percentage varies by state, with some rural states having as many as 86% white enrollees. White people make up approximately 75% of Medicare beneficiaries, making them the largest racial/ethnic group in the program. Black and Hispanic individuals together represent a smaller but significant portion, each making up about 10% or slightly less.

While there is no single, official figure for the percentage of white people on Obamacare, recent enrollment data shows that a significant number of white individuals are enrolled in ACA plans. In the 2024 open enrollment period, white consumers represented a large proportion of the total growth in marketplace plan selections. Data from various sources indicate that among those with private insurance, white people had the highest rates of coverage in some recent years, and white individuals also make up a significant portion of those on Medicaid or other public coverage plans. 

The Trump administration and the Republicans are willing to cause ALL Americans to suffer in their effort to HURT minorities. Their telling the people to hang on and trust Trymp. They will be happy in the end. Black people say, "We have always been targeted and have to struggle in a country that DESPISES us and keep their feet on our neck." I say we are NEXT after the HISPANICS and an ATTEMPT will be made to deport Blacks. African billionaires were allowed in passing the immigration laws. Rich WHITE people are being allowed entrance to the country and those HERE are being sent elsewhere.

The churches involvement in the Trump presidency is alarming. Slavery was sanctioned using biblical SCRIPTURE in the past to allow cruelty of another human to be acceptable. Never have Noah been so important to Christians. The IDEA the CHURCH and CHRISTIANS used the Bible to sanction INHUMANE treatment of humans lets anyone know the DEPRAVITY of a soul. The church, they say, was silent during that time. Now the CHURCH is the number one supporter of CLEANING up America, returning it to its former glory. That time of glory, WHEN WHITES HAD ALL THE MONEY AND POWER.

Education is being attacked and intelligence is the ENEMY. EDUCATION has always been the equalizer that's why slaves were not allowed to learn to READ. On the popular television show, "Handmaid's Tale." On this patriarchy gone insane show, women are not allowed to read. It is happening AGAIN. Education is be crafted to fit an agenda for whites.

Black people, I just want to say, you've done well for yourself. The NARRATIVE has always been, "They need to LEAVE OUR country," and we have felt it for decades. Black people being able to get up everyday and face RACISM white people mockingly say DOESN'T exist, is commendable and made us into SURVIVORS. We've been GOOD people under terrible circumstances. There are those who are angry and bitter at being disdained for the color of their skin alone before they say a word. It's a campaign white people are united in. Their ILL ways are covered over with lies or distraction from them, have always been deployed.

The threat of a white woman saying she is afraid of a Black alarms an entire county and state. It is whipped up, PROTECT THE WHITE WOMAN! It is always employed to bring FEAR in the white community. Yes, the "protection of white women" has been, and continues to be, used as a powerful tool in racist ideologies and actions. This has been particularly evident in the United States, where the concept has historically served as a pretext for racial violence and the maintenance of white supremacy. 

The white woman's fright has been used to justify criminal acts throughout history against different races including Asians, Native Americans, and Italians. Trump is sending in the military so WIVES can safely walk down the street without their husband's protection.

So, Black person, you have been good and continue to be. Guns sales rose to an incredible number after Barak Obama's election to the presidency. Gun sales increased significantly after Barack Obama became president in 2009. The trend was driven primarily by gun owners' fears that the new administration, along with other Democrats, would pass stricter gun control legislation, so they said. Immediately following the election, gun stores across the country reported that sales had doubled or even tripled. A similar, though less dramatic, spike in sales occurred after his second election victory in 2012. While the primary driver was concern over gun control, other factors contributed, including rising anxiety during the economic downturn and increased sales in general. I believe they believed Obama being Black, would pay them back for the autrocities committed and continue to be committed against Blacks. White's were afraid of retribution like what Trump is handing out. Obama, a Black man, showed the WORLD, he is a BETTER man.

Even though I've been what whites would consider a good Black, I read the comments of many White people saying I'm lazy, an immoral product of my CULTURE, looking for government handouts. So far from the truth for the majority of my PEOPLE. It doesn't matter. America is waiting on the SECOND CIVIL WAR. They are armed and have a racist president to do THEIR dirty work and the CHURCH is on board with this. After evangelizing the Blacks into a religion that said they are slaves, the church is abondoning its converts again. Hispanics tend to be more religious than non-Hispanics, but religious affiliation is shifting, with a growing number of Hispanics identifying as religiously unaffiliated. While Catholicism remains the largest religion among U.S. Hispanics, its share has declined significantly over the past decade, and there is a notable increase in evangelical Protestants and other Christians, reports Pew Research Center. PROBLEM.

After attending Seminary, I discovered most American Christians have disdain for Catholics. Most Christians recognize Catholics as fellow Christians, but some views differ due to varying doctrines and practices. Common points of contention include the authority of the Pope, prayer to Mary and saints, confession to a priest, and differing views on salvation, while others focus on shared beliefs like the Trinity and Jesus's death and resurrection, viewing these commonalities as more significant. Iv'e heard a pastor and professor call them, "The cult of Mary."

In 2015, 14% of U.S. infants were multiracial or multiethnic, nearly triple the share in 1980. In 2018, roughly 4% of all children in the U.S. were multiracial, a figure that is growing along with intermarriage rates. By 2020, the number of people who identified as multiracial reached 10.2% of the U.S. population, an increase from 2.9% in 2010, due in part to improved data collection methods. Infant statistics (2015): About one in seven infants were multiracial or multiethnic, a rate that has almost tripled since 1980. This growth is linked to the rise in intermarriages. Overall child population (2018): Roughly 4% of children under 18 were multiracial. The share of nonwhite children is growing and, as of 2018, was just over 50% of the total child population. PROBLEM.

There is a noted increase in men joining the church now. The church supports their IDEOLOGY of hate of Black and brown people and WHITE SUPREMACY. If whites are in charge then the United States will be a better place. The problem is they are religious and demonstating evil ways. Do they really want EVERYONE to be like them? Yes! WHITE and in their reality RICH. But white people are NOT procreating producing more whites. In fact, they are dying faster than being born. BIG PROBLEM.

My advice is, keep doing you Black person and KNOW you have been right all along, you are hated in your own COUNTRY. And it's not just whinning as I've read on social media. Why were Blacks not included in this MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN plan? Because it doesn't include us. How long are Black people to prove, we are GOOD people? All ethnicities have people of ill-repute and criminals. Why are WE the ones labled BAD from BIRTH? How long are Blacks to PROVE we should NOT be HATED? We need to ban together and reassure ourselves of our worthiness and not be cowared. We must stand in unty in pride. We ARE survivors and we WILL survive this administration. Stand in your HONOR and DIGNITY. Pay attention to how brown people and Black people are being treated. And like Kamala Harris said, "We Won't Go Back!"

Black Enough Kamala Harris

 BEING BLACK IS COMPLICATED!

Kamala Harris is coming face to face with this fact. For over a century, being Black was simpler. There was an in 1662, which identified who and who was not Black. What was the one drop rule in 1662? The act stated that "every person who shall have one-eight or more of negro blood shall be deemed and held to be a person of color." This was the equivalent of one great-grandparent. This definition of being Black was solely based on biology. But, as time passed, being Black became about a person's actions and personality, and who the Black community said was Black enough.

According to a 2022 study, autosomal African ancestry in Jamaicans ranges from 76% to 92%, while Y chromosome data ranges from 61% to 79%. However, estimates of admixture can vary depending on the sample size, the number of markers used, and the communities sampled. For example, a 2010 autosomal genealogical DNA test found that Jamaica's gene pool is about 80.3% Sub-Saharan African, while a survey of Jamaican Maroons found that 97.5% of their genome was of West African origin.  

I heard someone say, if you notice, there are so many 'light skinned people ' fighting for Black people's rights. They made this statement, being offended, people with light skin and green eyes were fighting for the rights of BLACK people as though they were not Black. This is a form of colorism. Colorism is prejudice or discrimination especially within a racial or ethnic group favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin or not favoring a person because of the lightness or darkness of their skin. In many instances, Black people with light skin are not seen as Black enough and they cannot relate to the real Black experience. Spike Lee's School Daze, released February 12, 1988, explored several issues within the Black-American community such as colorism, elitism, classism, political activism, hazing, groupthink, female self-esteem, social mobility, and hair texture bias—all against the backdrop of a historically black college.

The way a person speaks and how they choose to spend their free time has been used to determine if a person is Black. It is not uncommon to hear a person is trying to act WHITE. It is asserted if a Black person speaks in a certain way, it makes them not Black. The Black community, over time have developed their own style of language and if you don't speak it, you may not be seen as Black. African American Vernacular English (AAVE), also known as Black English Vernacular (AAE), or African American Language (AAL), is a style of English spoken by many working- and middle-class African Americans and some Black Canadians, especially in urban communities. It's often spoken in Black American households and is a way for people with a shared culture to communicate. Linguists believe AAVE may have originated from West African or Creole languages.

Examples of this defined way many Black people speak are,

“Finnin to.” This expression is used to state a desire to do something, as in “I’m finnin to slap him,”

“Big ol'’.” It’s the shortening of “big old,” but it often sounds like “big-o.”

“My bad.” This phrase is used to offer apologies for a wrongdoing

“We straight.” In Black American English, “straight” can mean “all right.” So “we straight”

In this same vein, many White people believe it is a compliment when they say a Black person speaks well and is articulate. This implies that particular Black person is somehow special and different from the norm and speaks well for being a Black person. Acting White is an anti-intellectual culture the Black community has leaned into. To be educated is associated with being White. Two theories, one, blaming acting white on a racist society, and second placing blame on self-imposed cultural sabotage, have emerged as the predominant explanations for acting white among American Blacks. For school aged children, the cost of being educated or intelligent has been studied. 

The social costs of a high GPA are most pronounced for adolescent males. Popularity begins to decrease at lower GPAs for young black men than young black women (3.25 GPA compared with a 3.5), and the rate at which males lose friends after this point is far greater. As a result, black male high achievers have notably fewer friends than do female ones. There is a similar pattern among Hispanics, with males beginning to lose friends at lower GPAs and at a faster clip, though the male/female differences are not statistically significant. A smart teen of color is less popular. Black students, particularly adolescents, face the "burden of 'acting White'" if they are academically successful.  My children faced this as high school students. They were not Black enough. The "acting White" hypothesis asserts that Blacks have not historically valued education, viewing academic success as the domain of Whites and thus fundamentally in opposition to Black culture and identity.

Even though Kamal Harris passes the 1% Negro blood act, many people, including Donald Trump, have decided she is not Black enough. She is not considered 'light' skinned and unable to relate to the Black experience. She uses Black vernacular and references cultural points Black people recognize within their community and family circles. So, why is she not Black enough? Is it solely because she is educated or is there another underlying reason?

When a white congressional candidate, in 2008, referred to a black news reporter as "uppity," he coincidentally joined company with another white politician who, later that day, applied the same description to then Sen. Barack and Michelle Obama. Both of the Georgians claimed ignorance of the racial history of the word "uppity," a derogatory term applied throughout the Jim Crow South to Blacks who dared to climb the socioeconomic ladder. The word “uppity” was used to describe someone inferior that was not staying in their proper place. This term has historically been used in America to describe Black people who were considered to be acting above "their place". Kamala is in a place no other Black female has been before.

Donald Trump's ignorant comment about Kamala Harris one day choosing to be of Indian descent due to her mother being born in India or choosing to be of African descent because her father is Jamaican, sows seeds in the Black community to question whether she is Black enough. There are low rumblings online among Black people saying she is not Black. As I stated earlier, being Black is complicated. Complicated for those clinging to the trauma of slavery and the Jim Crow era.

According to the 2020 United States census, 10.2% of the population, or 33.8 million people, identified as multiracial. This is a significant increase from 2010, when 2.9% of the population reported multiple races. The multiracial population is the fastest-growing demographic in the country. Do biracial people identify with only one ethnicity? No, most biracial Americans do not identify with only one ethnicity, and how they identify can vary depending on the situation. For example, a 2015 Pew Research Center survey found that 70% of white and Asian biracial adults and 61% of white and Black biracial adults identify as multiracial. However, some mixed-race Americans may not identify as multiracial if they "look like one race". According to the survey, 54% of those who don't identify as multiracial say this is because they were raised as only one race, while 45% say they closely identify with only one race. Others may not identify as multiracial because they never knew an ancestor of a different race. 

Kamala Harris is Indian, African, and married to a White man. She is diverse. Her diversity should appeal to many people. Instead, people are trying to put her into a box, make her CHOOSE. Being a woman, men may believe she cannot represent them as a president. Deep rooted beliefs of men holding onto the idea of only a man can lead and identify with a man are also a problem for Harris. Kamala will be a president who can represent the multi-faceted makeup of the United States because of her life's story and obstacles she has faced and overcome.

Not being Black enough, according to research, was faced in her adolescence and it seems she weathered it well. Living into her Black identity was tackled during college when she joined a historically Black sorority, AKA. Having no biological children of her own, she understands the importance of a woman making her own decision about becoming a mother (not saying she chose not to have children). As a biracial child, she understands how important it is to not be judged by skin color alone. For the fearful White man believing his kind is becoming less important in society, she loves a White man.

Kamala Harris shines on so many levels until she MUST be attacked on a primal level. Attacks that stoke FEAR in people. Sexism, racism. and misogyny are the tools of the weak. Fear of intelligence, womanhood, and skin color are old tools to try to keep a person in a perceived place others have decided a person belongs. But due to her diversity, life's experience, and work experience, these are obstacles she has already overcome. 

Not being Black enough is not the problem of the person the comment is said about. The concept the person has that blackness is defined as not wanting everything life has to offer is the problem. The person who lays claim to knowing how a Black person is to behave or what they are allowed to achieve is the one with the problem. Because the first comment is 'you are not Black' and the next comment is 'you're uppity'. All of this is the slave mentality of Blacks and remnants of White supremacy from Whites. 

All of the presidents before Obama were not Black enough because they were White. Many felt President Obama was not Black enough. Now Kamala is not Black enough. What is the vision of a Black president then? Because Obama nor Kamala can escape, they are Black people. Sorry Donald and the rest of America, Kamala IS Black

College Graduation a No Go?

Did you graduate high school? Great job. Did you graduate college? The congratulations don't pour in as fast as they used to for you now. Why are people, even the college graduate themselves, frowning on higher education?

The college graduating class of 2024 may not have a chance to walk across the stage to receive their diploma this year. This will not be anything new to these graduates. During the Covid pandemic the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. High school seniors found their world on lockdown, robbing them of the opportunity to have a public graduation. I'm sure these graduates believed this would be a once in a lifetime occurrence. Boy were they WRONG!

Fast forward to 2024 and several colleges are considering canceling on campus graduation ceremonies due to student protests of the Israeli-Hamas war. Once again, a graduation milestone seems to be on the verge of being CANCELED. 

Receiving a diploma for finishing academic requirements has been a tradition in America. Even with people voicing a degree is of little value these days, we all look forward to graduation season. College graduates finish college with student loan debt and many of the degrees obtained are not adequate for today's job market. Graduation ceremonies may still hold importance, but higher EDUCATION is no longer the golden ticket it once was. 

Even though we have come so far in education, it seems we have to pivot in our once held security that higher education meant having financial security, economic stability, and career advancement. Did people of the past really have difficult lives if they did not have higher education? I decided to take a look to see if having a college degree has always been over or underrated. 

In the 18th and 19th century, an "academy" was what later became known as a high school. Higher education was largely oriented toward training men as ministers before 1800. Saving the soul was honorable but not lucrative. Doctors and lawyers were trained in local apprentice systems. Religious denominations established most early colleges in order to train ministers. New England had a long emphasis on literacy in order that individuals could read the Bible. The first American colleges offered a broad liberal arts curriculum designed to educate young Puritan ministers. These early institutions were established by religious groups to foster the faith.

Harvard College was founded by the colonial legislature in 1636 and named after an early benefactor. Most of the funding came from the colony, but the college began to build an endowment from its early years. Harvard at first focused on training young men for the ministry, but many alumni went into law, medicine, government, or business. The college was a leader in bringing Newtonian science to the colonies. Harvard also established the Harvard Indian College, "hoping to make it the Indian Oxford," but only four Native Americans ever enrolled at Harvard in that era, and only one graduated.

Becoming a doctor in modern times is no small endeavor. Hours of study, training, and most times, financial debt is required. In the Old West times a typical fee a doctor charged in some areas during the early 1800's was twenty-five to fifty cents a visit, perhaps a dollar if the doctor stayed all night. Payment was made in goods, services, or promises more often than in cash. Here and there the frontier produced a physician of extraordinary vision and skill. Higer education did not have a big payoff for doctors. 

In the 1800's, students attended school for fewer years than do modern students. However, a brief survey of schoolbooks from the period indicates that their reading books advanced through several modern grade levels in any given year. By the FIFTH year of school, students were reading material at a level which is today considered college level. Can you imagine being able to have a college level education in five years instead of sixteen?

By 1860 the day-to-day running of the schools was based more on the teacher's practices than the board's policies. The agricultural economy in both the North and the South dictated school schedules, and children were excused from school during the months when they were needed to work in the fields.

The Civil War “drove some of the most important educational reforms of the late nineteenth century." In particular, the conflict and its aftermath created a relationship between the government and higher education, introduced new curricula, and reshaped the nature of student populations, ultimately producing the modern American university and college systems with which we identify today. 

The shift toward secular, practical education was inevitable. Thomas Jefferson was an early advocate of expanded higher education opportunities. He argued that America’s growing democracy needed an educated citizenry and that the growing market economy needed a skilled workforce. The Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 likewise helped establish universities that concentrated on agricultural and engineering learning. Schools became coeducational and biracial, and welcomed non-traditional students from broader socioeconomic groups.

Between 1870 and 1897, the number of higher education institutions reached 821, up from 23 in 1800. These schools were secular institutions built on a practical mandate–to promote agriculture, science, and technology. The traditional liberal arts curriculum grew to include social science, applied sciences such as engineering, and professional training. By the close of the nineteenth century, theology schools represented only 13% of higher education institutions. Making money replaced saving souls and advancing faith.

During the period between 1850 and 1870, most American states achieved the free school system supported by property taxes rather than tuition. This momentous transition from no or partial to full public funding for schools has been surprisingly underemphasized by economists. "Laborers' wages were a dollar an hour; skilled mechanics received from $12 to $20 per day. The carpenters struck work because they were getting only $12 a day and insisted on being paid $16." Source: Annals of San Francisco, published 1855. Having a SKILL paid off and being skilled did not necessarily mean you had obtained a degree in that particular field.

Below is the average salary in 1901 in Buffalo, NY. Most people worked six days per week for 9 hours a day. They had no retirement benefits which meant they worked until they had saved enough money to stop working, or they worked until they died. (The average life expectancy for men was 47 years, for women it was 50.) They paid no income tax. There was no health insurance. $70,000 a year, in 1900 would have meant you were super rich with a mansion, servants, the whole deal.

Occupation	Annual Salary	2000 $
1900 Census Average Salary	$449.80	$8,973
Unskilled Female	$120	$2,394
African-American male laborer	$150	$2,992
African-American Female laundress	$180	$3,591
Nurses after two years	$193	$3,850
Factory women (Boston)	$295.44	$5,885
Retail Women (Boston)	$303.84	$6,045
National average female teachers	$381.50	$7,601
Lynn, MA factory seamstresses	$384	$7,660
Male Stenographer	$400	$7,980
Eden, NY Union Free School female teacher	$400	$7,980
National average male teachers	$452	$9,017
Nurse Supervisors	$463	$9,237
Western U.S. female teachers	$505	$10,074
Buffalo Railway Company trolley conductors	$533	$10,663
NYC Female teachers	$600	$11,970
Buffalo teacher after 4 years	$600	$11,970
Western U.S. male teachers	$610	$12,169
Buffalo NY factory planers	$624	$12,449
Buffalo School "department principal"	$750	$14,902
NYC male teachers	$900	$17,955

During the first half of the twentieth century, the higher education landscape was heavily influenced by economic demands. In the sciences, the focus shifted to fields which directly impacted industrial production–chemistry and physics departments grew to answer the demand for trained scientists and applied research. A well-rounded education became increasingly important for advancement throughout the private sector, which relied on literate, skilled employees. Enter the college degree being highly valued.

The federal government passed the GI Bill, which paid for the college education of 8 million returning GIs. Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944, this act, also known as the G.I. Bill, provided World War II veterans with funds for college education, unemployment insurance, and housing.  A grateful recipient recalled: “[T]he government paid for all expenses; they paid for tuition; they paid for books, and they gave us a magnificent sum of $90 a month for food and housing.”

The GI Bill transformed the college student body by removing the major hurdle to higher education: the cost. Lower socioeconomic groups were finally represented on campus. The number of college students nearly doubled in the 1940s, from 1.5 million in 1940 to 2.7 million in 1950, as veterans swelled the ranks. The “magic carpet to the Middle Class,” as the GI Bill was called, permanently linked higher education and the American Dream. Education and degrees opened doors and people were going through those doors.

In the United States stagnation if not decline in education has been apparent at least since the 1970s. Even our high school graduation rates are lower today than they were a decade ago. This was called by some a Literacy Crisis. At the end of 1975, Newsweek magazine ran an alarming cover story on the perceived decline in American education, alerting the country to the possibility that American schools were graduating students who could not even write a comprehensible sentence in English.

Over most of the 20th century successive generations of U.S. children had higher enrollment rates and rising levels of completed education. This trend reversed with the baby boom cohorts who attended school in the 1970s, and only resumed in the mid-1980s. Even today, the college entry rate of male high school seniors is not much higher than it was in 1968. Young men’s high school completion rates drifted down over the 1970s, while their college entrance rates plummeted. Young women’s high school graduation and college entry rates were stagnant. As a consequence, men and women born in the 1960s had about the same high school graduation rates, and lower four-year college graduation rates, than men and women born a decade earlier.

Among the adult population in 1970 (persons 25 years old and over), 55%, were at least high school graduates as compared with 41%, in 1960. The proportion of adults who had completed one or more years of college was 21% in 1970 as compared with 16% in 1960. 1970 cost of living: New House: $23,450. Average Income: $9,400. New Car: $3,450. Minimum Wage: $2.10/hr. Movie Ticket: $1.55. Gasoline: 36 cents/gal. Postage Stamp: 6 cents. Sugar: 39 cents Ibs. Coffee: 1.90 lb. Did you really NEED a college degree?

There were several reasons why there was a decline in education during the 1970's. One reason was Baby Boomers DID seek higher education, earned great salaries, and gave their children every luxury. Their children did not seek higher education but relied on their parents' income longer into their lives. Baby Boomer children had spending power. They became the top consumer. Baby boomers are people born between 1946 and 1964. The term refers to the generation that came of age after World War II, when birth rates around the world increased. In 1946, over three million babies were born, more than ever before in U.S. history. This increase in births, along with technological changes and geopolitical factors, has dramatically reshaped the country politically, culturally, and economically. 

Also, schools had been integrated. Many did not agree that attending school/colleges with minorities as a good thing. Educational reforms in the 1970s emerged through curriculum changes, increased federal involvement, and a focus on equal opportunities. In the 1970s, there was a significant shift in the educational landscape, primarily driven by the need to address societal changes and improve the quality of education.

Over forty-years ago, Congress passed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to ensure equal opportunity in education for all students, from kindergarten through postgraduate school, regardless of sex. Girls and women have made great strides in education since the passage of Title IX.

In 2000, the US population aged 25 and older reached an all-time high in education levels. 80% of this population had a high school diploma or more, and 24% had completed at least a bachelor's degree. 52% of the population had completed at least some college education, and 24% had a bachelor's degree or more. With more income came higher prices for living. It is all about supply and demand. With the ability to PURCHASE luxury items by a large number of people, prices increased driving up the cost of living.

The impact of online media on higher education cannot be overstated. The average age of college students has soared to 36. About 30% of college students participate in online education.  Many argue that students who learn online are more adept at conducting business in virtual space. They learn to “access, analyze, process, and communicate information; use information technology tools; work with people from different cultural backgrounds; and engage in continuous, self-directed learning,” according to one report. These are crucial skills for a workforce that routinely collaborates with people in remote locations via the Internet; for whom information technology is a job requirement; and who rely on continuous education to stay up to speed.

The average cost of living, at present, in the United States is estimated to be between $2,500 and $3,500 per month, depending on your location and lifestyle. This includes housing, food, transportation, health care, taxes, and other expenses. An individual needs $96,500, on average, to live comfortably in a major U.S. city. That figure is even higher for families, who need to earn an average combined income of about $235,000 to support two adults and two children. Single? This Is What You Have to Earn to Live Comfortably | Kiplinger

People are throwing up their hand in frustration at the price tag to live comfortably. For many, it has turned into a rat race. Just work and no pleasure. Many are rethinking if going to college is even worth it. What is your opinion? Hopefully those who have done the work and earned their degrees will be able to walk across the stage with family members beaming with pride at their accomplishments. They earned it even if they won't be able to EARN after they graduate. The American Dream is no longer promised through higher education.

Here are the top 10 highest-paying jobs that don't require a degree.

1. Airline and commercial pilot Median annual salary: $148,900, Number of jobs: 142,600. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 4%. Educational requirements: Vocational training or associate’s degree. Work experience: None, but FAA certifications and flight hours are required.

2. Information security analyst Median annual salary: $112,000. Number of jobs: 168,900. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 32%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or vocational training. Work experience: None, but relevant certifications are beneficial.

3. Elevator and escalator installer and repairer Median annual salary: $99,999. Number of jobs: 25,100. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 1%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or GED Work experience: Apprenticeship.

4. Special effects artist and animator Median annual salary: $98,950. Number of jobs: 89,300. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 8%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or vocational training. Work experience: Portfolio of work. Certifications can be beneficial.

5. Transportation, storage, and distribution manager Median annual salary: $98,560. Number of jobs: 14,600. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 8%. Educational requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; certification programs beneficial. Work experience: Five years in a related field. 

6. First-line supervisors of police and detective Median annual salary: $96,290. Number of jobs: 4,300. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 3%. Educational requirements: High school diploma, police academy training. Work experience: Several years in the police force.

7. Radiation therapist Median annual salary: $89,530. Number of jobs: 15,900. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 2%. Educational requirements: Associate degree. Work experience: Clinical experience/certification.

8. Subway and streetcar operator Median annual salary: $88,260. Number of jobs: 300. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 4%. Educational requirements: High school diploma. Work experience: On-the-job training.

9. Electrical power-line installer and repairer Median annual salary: $82,340 per year. Number of jobs: 122,400. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 3%. Educational requirements: High school diploma. Technical training preferred. Work experience: Apprenticeship.

10. Dental hygienist. Median annual salary: $81,400. Number of jobs: 219,400. Estimated job growth (2022–2032): 7%. Educational requirements: Associate’s degree in dental hygiene. Work experience: Licensing (varies by state). Highest-Paying Jobs In 2024 You Can Get Without a Degree | Kiplinger.