photo by Ed pfizenmaier
photo by Al Levine
Ebony Cover:Sheila sheftall, photo by Vandell Cobb; Gaye Shannon-Barr,by Leon Gurley;Adrienne Gordon, by Cobb; Gigi Thomas, by Cobb; Sharon Taylor, by Donald Belt; Sonya Ellison, Ctsy. Alabama state U
Photo by Ed Pfizenmaier
photo by Maurice sorrell
photo by moneta sleet jr.
photo by James Colburn
photography: Ed pfizenmaier
photo by Claus Eggers
photography by Sygma
photographer by Moneta Sleet Jr.
photographed by Harry Langdon
photo by Larry Williams
photo by Matthew Rolston
photo by james mitchell
photo by
photo by harry langdon
photo by paul elledge
photo by frank caroll
photo by charles william
photo by moneta sleet jr.
photo by Brian Aris
photo by Paul Elledge
photo by harry Langdon
photo by Paul Elledge
photo by Moneta Sleet Jr.
photo by Moneta Sleet Jr.
photograph by moneta sleet Jr
photo by James L. Mitchell
photo by E.J Camp
photo by touchstone pictures
photo by vandell cobb
photo Mruce Mcbroom
howard d. Simmons
photo by harry langdon
photo by ron slenzak
photo by harry langdon

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The Black Americans of the 1980’s

If the wage gap between middle class black families and middle class white families began to close during the ‘70’s, that gap exploded in the 1980’s due to the introduction of a “new” economic theory by the GOP called Trickle Down Economics. In laymen’s terms “Tricky D” as some referred to it, asserted that a change in tax laws in favor of the top 10 percent of Americans would create wealth that would then “trickle down” to the bottom 90 percent. The theory was a bust. Only the rich got richer.

Despite this economic bungling, which ultimately betrayed the majority of the American people, Black Americans the most, the 1980’s saw an unprecedented rise of African Americans on the popular cultural front, sparking a Black Renaissance of sorts. For the first time in America’s history, for both Black and white Americans, particularly teens, all of the top cultural idols were Black, more and more of them representatives of a new and emerging art form called Rap.

While EBONY did not champion Rap artists per se, it did celebrate many of the other top cultural icons of the day. The number one film star – Eddie Murphy, the top male and female vocalists – Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, the most popular and top earning athlete – Michael Jordan, the number one sitcom – The Cosby Show, and the number one daytime talk show – Oprah Winfrey, and a host of other top Black entertainers and celebrities appeared on the covers.

In addition to the lives and accomplishments of celebrated personalities across multiple fields, EBONY bravely broached the topics of obesity, financial planning, teen pregnancy, the demise of the Black family, homosexuality, AIDS, and “The Drug War,” while continuing to champion the beauty of Black women, and to offer means to resist economic and political oppression. Regardless of the topic, EBONY remained true to its mission to encourage and empower Black Americans to move forward and to continue to move up.

BLACK HISTORY FROM THE PAGES OF EBONY

VIEW THE ENTIRE BLACK HISTORY MONTH SERIES


AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE OBAMA ERA


THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS OF THE 1990S


THE BLACK AMERICANS OF THE 1980S


THE AFRO-AMERICANS OF THE 1970S


THE BLACKS OF THE 1960S


COLORED PEOPLE OF THE 1950S


THE NEGROES OF THE 1940S

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