▁exist ▁at ▁all ▁economic ▁levels ▁in ▁the ▁African - American ▁community , ▁providing ▁strength ▁and ▁support ▁both ▁to ▁the ▁African - American ▁family ▁and ▁the ▁community . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁and ▁social ▁issues ▁Since ▁the ▁passing ▁of ▁the ▁V oting ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁African ▁Americans ▁are ▁voting ▁and ▁being ▁elected ▁to ▁public ▁office ▁in ▁increasing ▁numbers . ▁ ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁had ▁approximately ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁African - American ▁elected ▁officials . ▁African ▁Americans ▁over wh el ming ly ▁associate ▁with ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁Only ▁ 1 1 ▁percent ▁of ▁African ▁Americans ▁supported ▁for ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁President ial ▁E lection . ▁ ▁Social ▁issues ▁such ▁as ▁ra cial ▁profil ing , ▁ra cial ▁dispar ities ▁in ▁sent encing , ▁higher ▁rates ▁of ▁pover ty , ▁lower ▁access ▁to ▁health ▁care ▁and ▁ ▁institution al ▁rac ism ▁ ▁in ▁general ▁are ▁important ▁to ▁the ▁African - American ▁community . ▁While ▁the ▁divide ▁on ▁ra cial ▁and ▁fis cal ▁issues ▁has ▁remained ▁consist ently ▁wide ▁for ▁dec ades , ▁seem ingly ▁indicating ▁a ▁wide ▁social ▁divide , ▁African ▁Americans ▁tend ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁same ▁optim ism ▁and ▁concern ▁for ▁America ▁as ▁any ▁other ▁eth nic ▁group . ▁ ▁African - Amer icans ▁may ▁express ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁sent iments ▁through ▁hip - h op ▁culture , ▁including ▁gra ff iti , ▁break - dan cing , ▁ra pping , ▁and ▁more . ▁This ▁cultural ▁movement