In just a few short months, the Trump administration has ousted countless career officials from the federal government. That’s a threat to all Americans who rely on quality government services — and threatens to undo decades of progress for Black families in particular.
As leaders from different generations, we see this attack on the government workforce as a threat to both current federal workers and the next generation of public servants.
Federal employment has been transformative for Black Americans. Though wages in government positions are often lower than in the private sector, their significantly better benefits, anti-discrimination protections, and job security have proven to be a stronger path to wealth building for Black families.
As the Center for American Progress reports, Black workers in the private sector only have about 10 percent of the wealth of white workers — but Black workers in the public sector have almost half the wealth of white workers. The Trump administration’s cuts threaten to erase this opportunity for greater economic security for Black families.
The U.S. government has historically led the way in providing workforce opportunities for Black Americans. Many of us grew up watching our parents and grandparents build careers in federal service — like the Postal Service, where Black employees make up 27 percent of the workforce. The military and the government sector more broadly has often set standards for racial progress where the private sector lagged behind.
For example, in 1948 President Harry Truman ordered the desegregation of the federal workforce and the armed forces. This tradition of merit-based advancement in federal service set a norm that the private sector would gradually integrate. These jobs laid the basis for a Black middle class.
In his research prior to the Great Recession, economist Steven C. Pitts documented that public administration was among the five most common occupations for Black workers, with those Black workers earning “20 percent to 50 percent more than in the other four most common occupations.”
The data showed what many Black families already knew from experience: federal jobs offered not just employment, but a genuine path to greater economic security.
But today, the radical shake up of government employment and the attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion threaten to turn back these gains. The unprecedented firing of Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioners (EEOC) and National Labor Relations Board officials — including Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the labor board — signals a dramatic shift against worker protections.
On campus, we’re already seeing the effects. Talented students who once dreamed of careers in public service are now looking elsewhere. “Why invest years preparing for a government career if they can just fire you for political reasons?” one recently asked.
When civil servants are replaced with political appointees, or when key jobs go unfilled, we all suffer. All Americans will feel the effects with potentially slower processing of Social Security claims, delays in veterans’ benefits, compromised food safety oversight, and a heightened risk of cronyism replacing expertise.
A broad-based and merit-focused workforce is fundamental to delivering quality government services, holding leaders accountable, and preventing corruption. These are outcomes every citizen relies on. But when career experts can be fired at will, they’re less likely to stand up to political pressure or report wrongdoing.
Progress in federal employment didn’t come easily. Each generation had to fight to expand and protect these opportunities. Today’s assault on federal workers isn’t just about current employees — it’s an attempt to break this chain of progress.
We must protect current federal workers while strengthening pathways for the next generation of public servants. This means maintaining strong civil service protections and ensuring that young people of all backgrounds see a future for themselves in government service.
We must defend these institutions against those who would dismantle them. The future of the Black economic advancement — and the promise of opportunity for all Americans — hangs in the balance.
© Counter Punch
