Two surveys of black privation
At first glance it certainly looked like a great year for American blacks. Staring out from newsstands for much of the year were three compelling examples of how far they had come in 1983: Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America; Guion Bluford Jr., the first black American astronaut in space; and, of course, Presidential Candidate Jesse Jackson.
However, according to the National Urban League's annual survey, "The State of Black America," released last week, these were the exceptions in a year otherwise notable for its stunning lack of...