Barack Obama didn’t do anything for Black Americans? History says otherwise and google is free!

By BMB Empower Network

9/21/2025

Throughout his presidency, Barack Obama enacted various policies and initiatives designed to enhance the quality of life for African Americans, concentrating on key sectors like economic opportunity, education, healthcare, and reforms in the criminal justice system.

Economic and Employment Initiatives

President Obama made significant strides to improve the economic stability of African American communities through a variety of initiatives. The American Jobs Act was put forward with targeted benefits for African American families in mind. The administration implemented permanent increases to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, resulting in an average tax reduction of around $1,000 for approximately 2 million working families in the African American community. Between 2014 and 2015, the real median income for Black households rose by 4.1 percent. In 2015, the poverty rate among African Americans fell by 2.1 percentage points, marking the fastest drop since 1999, which meant that 700,000 fewer African Americans were living in poverty. Moreover, the poverty rate for African American children decreased by 4.2 percentage points, lifting 400,000 children out of poverty that same year. The number of minority-owned businesses in the U.S. has surged by 38% since 2007, now totaling 8 million. In the fiscal year 2015, loans directed towards underserved markets, including those for minority-owned enterprises, increased to $13 billion across 32,563 loans, up from $10.47 billion across 25,799 loans in the previous fiscal year. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also initiated the MBK Millennial Entrepreneurs Initiative in early 2015 to foster entrepreneurship among underserved millennials, particularly young men of color. Additionally, the SBA established a rule that allows most individuals on probation or parole to qualify for microloans up to $50,000, and in August 2016, they launched the Aspire Entrepreneurship Initiative to offer education and microloans to returning citizens in various cities.

Healthcare Access and Outcomes

One of the most notable accomplishments of the Obama administration was the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which significantly broadened access to health care coverage.

Since the initial open enrollment period for the ACA in late 2013, the uninsured rate for non-elderly African Americans has dropped by more than half, resulting in around 3 million uninsured nonelderly African American adults obtaining health coverage.

In 2014, life expectancy for African Americans reached an all-time high, with African American males living to an average of 72.5 years and females to 78.4 years.

Additionally, teen pregnancy rates among African American women hit record lows, as the birth rate per 1,000 African American teen females decreased from 60.4 in 2008 to 34.9 in 2014.

Educational Advancement

The Obama administration focused on revitalizing schools and improving educational outcomes for African Americans. ​The high school graduation rate for African American students reached its highest point in history, with 72.5 percent of African American public high school students graduating within four years in the 2013-2014 academic year. ​Over one million more Black and Hispanic students enrolled in college since President Obama took office. ​As of 2015, 88 percent of African Americans aged 25 and older had at least a high school degree, and 23 percent had at least a Bachelor’s degree, both historical highs. ​

Support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) was also a priority, with Pell Grant funding for HBCU students increasing from $523 million in 2007 to $824 million in 2014. ​The President's Fiscal Year 2017 budget request included a new $30 million competitive grant program for HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to support student success.

Criminal Justice Reform

President Obama worked to ensure a fairer criminal justice system for all citizens. ​The incarceration rates for African American men and women decreased during each year of his administration, reaching their lowest points in over two decades by 2014. ​The number of juveniles in secure detention, a disproportionate number of whom are African American, fell by more than 30% between 2007 and 2013. ​The President also banned the use of solitary confinement for juveniles in federal custody, eliminating the practice federally. ​The Fair Sentencing Act, signed in 2010, reduced the disparity in penalties between crack and powder cocaine offenses. ​

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division actively enforced federal laws protecting individuals in housing, lending, employment, voting, education, and disability rights, and prosecuted hate crimes and law enforcement misconduct.

Targeted Initiatives and Judicial Appointments

The Obama administration launched several initiatives specifically aimed at supporting African American communities. ​The My Brother's Keeper initiative, launched on February 27, 2014, addressed persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color. ​Nearly 250 communities across all 50 states, 19 Tribal Nations, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico accepted the My Brother's Keeper Community Challenge to dedicate resources and create strategic plans for young people's full potential. ​Philanthropic and private organizations committed over $600 million in grants and in-kind resources, and $1 billion in low-interest financing, for this initiative. ​

Additionally, the Council on Women and Girls (CWG) launched "Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color" in 2014 to address unique obstacles faced by this demographic through federal policies and programs. ​President Obama made 62 lifetime appointments of African Americans to the federal bench, including 9 circuit court judges and 53 district court judges. ​This included 26 African American women appointed to federal courts, more than any previous President. In total, 19% of confirmed judges under Obama were African American, compared to 16% under President Bill Clinton and 7% under President George W. ​Bush.

How the Republican try to sabotage President Obama presidency

The Republican Party predominantly opposed President Obama's policies, frequently coming together in their dissent. Their opposition stemmed from ideological differences rather than racial issues, although some viewed race as a contributing factor to the growing political divide. This ongoing resistance shaped the impact of various policies, or the absence of them, on Black Americans.

Republicans asserted that their disapproval of President Obama was rooted in his policies, not his race. ​GOP pollster Whit Ayres stated that any white Democrat proposing a large stimulus plan and a healthcare industry overhaul would have faced similar conservative and Republican opposition. ​However, some Democrats, including Senator Jay Rockefeller and Representative Bennie Thompson, argued that racism was a primary driver behind Republican resistance to the president. ​Political scientists, such as Christopher Parker, suggested that Obama's status as the first African-American president heightened the anxieties of those who felt the country was undergoing rapid and uncomfortable demographic changes. ​

Robert Smith, a political scientist, noted that the animosity toward Obama was primarily ideological, believing that a conservative Black president would not have faced the same racial animus from conservatives. ​Yet, Smith also contended that Obama's race fueled opposition to the Affordable Care Act, as there was a perception that it involved a wealth transfer from middle-income white people to low-income minorities. ​Republican consultant David Carney believed Obama's "elitism" and "disdain for things that are more traditional America" were greater reasons for his disconnect with a large portion of the country than his race.

From the beginning of Obama's presidency, Republicans implemented a strategy of unified opposition. ​For instance, not a single House Republican voted for Obama's $800 billion Recovery Act in January 2009. ​This "Party of No" approach, as it was often called, aimed to limit Obama to one term and block his legislative agenda, including the Affordable Care Act, climate initiatives, and education reforms. ​This strategy of continuous opposition was deemed a political success by Republicans, helping them regain control of the House in 2010, the Senate in 2014, and the White House in 2016.

The Legacy of President Barack Obama

Obama's election represented a groundbreaking milestone, symbolizing a pivotal moment for Black America.

Although his presidency heightened the expectations surrounding his success and revealed the constraints of his position, his identity as a Black man was integral to how he was perceived publicly.

Progress and Challenges

During his presidency, certain metrics indicated an enhancement in the quality of life for Black individuals, including improved high school graduation rates and a decline in hate crimes. The economic growth that began in 2009 under Obama's leadership played a significant role in increasing the representation of Black individuals across various economic sectors. Additionally, the administration motivated nonprofits to secure $200 million over five years for initiatives focused on young men of color, exemplified by programs like My Brother's Keeper.

Moreover, over 300 communities, including the ten largest cities in the U.S., committed to Reimagine Policing through the Obama Foundation, which aims to preserve locations vital to the Black experience. Obama's efforts also contributed to the revitalization of civic religion. The challenging part is anytime there is black progress there always while backlash, in comes twice impeached, 34 felon convictions, and

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