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This practice contributed to increased racial and geographic segregation, as well as urban decay, particularly for black communities and low-income neighborhoods. Urban planning researchers in the U. S. argue that these maps were used by public and private entities to deny loans to people in black communities or low-income neighborhoods years later. Bottom line:
“ White gangsters got the New Deal. Blacks got prison.” The crack epidemic in the black community is a direct result of the situation that favored white social uplift and the social collapse of the big-city black population.
Flashmag! Issue 165 October 2025
The introduction of crack into socially vulnerable communities occurred during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, at a time when a major structural change saw large manufacturing industries move out of the cities. This relocation intensified competition for jobs, widening the socio-economic gap in America’ s inner cities.
The emergence of crack cocaine in the inner cities was directly linked to a drastic increase in crime between 1981 and 1986. Admissions to federal prisons for drug-related offenses soared, and murder and non-negligent homicide rates increased significantly. There were also notable increases in robbery and aggravated assault. Murder and suicide among young black men remained high years after the crack-related violence that swept American cities. Urban crime rates rose dramatically, contributing to the deterioration of inner cities. While the 80s and 90s saw hip hop emerge from this chaos, the 1992 riots in Los Angeles demonstrated to the world the African-American malaise. In another section, it will no doubt be important to look back at programs such as Co Intel pro and the emphasis placed on Gangsta Rap, which contributed to further darkening the image of the African-American community.
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