The average minority family is economically no better off than it was in 1980. While White families gained 4.1 percent in disposable income (income from all sources net of taxes) after adjusting for inflation, Black families had a decline in real disposable income of 2.1 percent, and Hispanic families had an increase of only 1 percent. The Black elderly had income gains, but not as much as the White elderly. Black unrelated individuals also had gains, and their income rose relative to that of White unrelated individuals. But Black families headed by a person under age 65 made virtually no progress between 1980 and 1984. Black families in the top 40 percent of the income distribution did not make gains comparable to those of their White counterparts. Among the factors contributing to the relative deterioration in minority family income were the following: (1) high unemployment; (2) Reagan Administration policies, which led to a more severe recession than might have occurred otherwise; (3) cuts in income support programs, which exacerbated the effects of the recession because minority families, who have lower average earnings, are more dependent on public assistance even when they are employed; and (4) cuts in programs to increase long-term earnings--employment, training, and educational programs. These outcomes could have been predicted before the policies were implemented; it is easy to understand why many claim that the Reagan Administration has been unfair to minorities. Data are presented on 22 tables. (BJV)