The United States developed official poverty measures in 1960. It was developed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, who had declared war on poverty during the civil rights era. (The Path of Power- The Years of Lyndon B. Johnson, (Caro, 16). The poverty rate for African Americans has been declining for many years. The Census Bureau releases two reports each year describing who is poor in the United States based on monetary resources. There is also the supplementary poverty measure (SPM) which takes into account monetary resources and non-monetary benefits from government programs aimed at low-income families (www.Census.gov/People and Household In 2012 there is there were over 46.5 million people in poverty and of these 10 million were African Americans, according to poverty reports Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King One of the protests was the call to march on Washington in 1963. Dr. King stated that “on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of poverty. material prosperity.” (MLK ​​Speech, March on Washington, 1963) The natural support of African Americans in poverty is to reduce family food expenses by cooking. instead of buying fast food. The culture of poverty “is perceived as a worldview and an ethic that contribute to the poor staying in poverty.” (Rogers, 131) you see how people who are in poverty are the link to their children who also seem to have difficulty rising higher in society. “Children learn from their parents that laziness is a lifestyle, as are monthly food stamps; children never find the motivation to work in their own way... middle of paper... the Rican community is going through a really difficult time, not only because they can't find a job but also because of race relations and prejudice by others against them who often do not belong to their community. This can also include age and homosexuality. “Racism, which involves stereotyping people based on their race, occurs at different levels.” (Rogers 160) African Americans have some support groups such as NAACP, Domestic Violence support Groups, Kinship Care, and many church groups that have food banks and shelter services. There is an ongoing fight to end poverty within African American communities. Works CitedCaro, (16). The Path to Power – The Lyndon B. Johnson Years Central to Disease Control and Prevention.com www.familyplanning.com www.MLK-Marchonwashington 1963 Rogers, Human Behavior the Social Environment (26, 49,131,407,160)