It is racism that has undermined the War on Poverty declared by Lyndon Johnson, and the country must come to terms with its history of racism if there is to be any hope of accomplishing welfare reform today. American social policy has continually foundered on issues of race. The antipoverty efforts begun by the Johnson administration were never fully realized because they became entwined with the civil rights movement, and triggered a white backlash. The shift of emphasis from all the poor to those disadvantaged by racial and ethnic bias alienated some white working-class Americans. Recognizing the disenchantment of the white middle class, the Nixon administration began to cut back welfare reform. Among the discussions of equal employment opportunity and political influences, the exploration of the politics of motherhood is particularly interesting. By the end of the 1960s, child care policy had also become embroiled in the struggle for racial equality. Day care and aid to families with dependent children became associated with minority issues, to the eventual detriment of such programs. (Contains 31 references.) (SLD)