Introduction:
For decades, federal jobs built the Black middle class by offering economic security, professional growth, and pathways to homeownership and education. However, recent government downsizing under Donald Trump is putting this historic progress at risk, disproportionately impacting Black federal workers and the communities that rely on them.
Federal Jobs Built the Black Middle Class and Empowered Generations
The role of federal employment in shaping the Black middle class cannot be overstated. Denise Smith began her career as a Navy intern during the Nixon era while still in high school. Over the next 35 years, she climbed the ranks in human resources within the Navy and later joined the Department of Energy.
Smith credits the federal civil service for allowing her family to achieve the American Dream. “We bought a home, raised five children, sent three to college, and lived comfortably,” she shared. Smith’s story mirrors the experience of many Black families who found stability and success through government jobs.
During times when the private sector offered few opportunities, federal agencies became a safe haven. Today, Black Americans represent 19% of the federal workforce—well above their 12% share of the U.S. population—highlighting just how deeply these jobs have shaped Black economic mobility.
Trump’s Federal Workforce Cuts Threaten Black Middle-Class Progress
Despite the crucial role federal jobs played in building the Black middle class, the Trump administration’s mass layoffs are now threatening to dismantle these hard-earned gains. Together with Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, Trump labeled the government workforce as bloated and wasteful—plans that have disproportionately impacted Black federal employees.
“The government workforce is diverse, and cutting these jobs hits Black employees the hardest,” explained Jennifer Holmes from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. With a higher concentration of Black workers in federal roles, these cuts risk driving many Black families out of the middle class.
How Federal Jobs Built Strong Black Middle-Class Communities
For generations, federal jobs built the Black middle class and contributed to the rise of thriving Black communities in cities like Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, credits the Postal Service, the military, and other government positions as the foundation of this progress.
“Black civil servants advanced with pride and distinction, creating strong middle-class communities that benefited the nation,” Morial said. Due to this legacy, cities like Washington, D.C., consistently rank among the top in median income for Black households.
According to a University of California, Berkeley study, Black public sector workers earn nearly 25% more than those in the private sector—proof of the financial advantage that federal employment has offered Black Americans.
Black Federal Workers Fear Economic Setback Amid Ongoing Cuts
Janice Lee, who retired from the U.S. Department of Transportation after nearly two decades of service, is among many who worry that government downsizing will undo the progress that federal jobs brought to the Black middle class.
“My father started as a busboy in federal service, and that job changed our family’s future,” Lee recalled. “Now, it feels like everything is falling apart.”
Lee refuted the stereotype that federal workers are unproductive, arguing that Black professionals earned their positions through merit and hard work. “This isn’t just cutting jobs; it feels like defunding Black progress,” she said. “The middle-class lives many of us built came from these federal job opportunities.”