A chronicle of the lives and economic struggles of two families in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — one Black and one white — across more than three decades, this “knockout documentary” (The New York Times) raises unsettling questions about the changing nature of the American economy. This journalism is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station here: https://www.pbs.org/donate​/ “Two American Families: 1991-2024” documents the saga of two families, the Stanleys and the Neumanns, who have spent the past 34 years battling to keep from sliding into poverty, and who refuse to give up despite upheaval in the U.S. economy. When the team first began documenting the families’ lives in 1991, the Neumanns and Stanleys were both struggling to adapt to a new, global economy and the trend towards part-time, lower-wage work. With profound intimacy, the documentary follows the stories of the Stanleys and the Neumanns across six presidential administrations and offers a powerful window into how they and their now-grown children have fared while trying to stay afloat in an economy that has presented challenge after challenge for them. “There are so many people struggling the same way with the cost of everything and not getting enough on your paycheck to cover your monthly expenses,” said Terry Neumann, who was a mom of young kids when the documentary’s producers began filming with her and is now in her early 60s. “It’s like we haven’t come very far.” “I won’t give up,” said Jackie Stanley, who is working as a real estate agent while entering her 70s. “Two American Families: 1991-2024” is a FRONTLINE production with Okapi Productions LLC and Public Affairs Television, Inc. in association with Left/Right Docs. The producers and directors are Tom Casciato and Kathleen Hughes. The co-producer is Andrew Fredericks. The senior producers are Frank Koughan and Nina Chaudry. The writer is Kathleen Hughes. The correspondent is Bill Moyers. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath. Explore reporting related to “Two American Families” on our website: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/two-american-families/ #Documentary #AmericanDream #Economy #Work Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PBSfrontline Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontlinepbs​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/frontlinepbs​ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontline FRONTLINE is produced at GBH in Boston and airs nationwide on PBS. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Park Foundation; and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Prologue 03:58 - How Changes in the American Labor Market in the Early ‘90s Impacted Some Families 16:19 - How the Financial Struggles of Parents Can Affect Their Children 35:02 - As Demand for Skilled Labor Increased in the Mid-90s, Wages Remained Low 47:08 - Why Some Working Families Continued to Face Financial Hardships Despite a Booming Economy in the Late ‘90s 1:01:48 - How Economic Changes in the Early 2010s Affected Families Already Struggling to Make Ends Meet 1:11:09 - Some Challenges Children From Income-Insecure Households Have Faced as Adults 1:23:08 - How Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, Inflation and Other Economic Shifts Have Affected Some Working Families Now Reaching Retirement Age 1:52:18 - Credits

News media must actively address climate change. Over 150 outlets, including Columbia Journalism Review and The Nation, dedicated a week (September 16-23) to reporting on humanity's devastating impact on the planet.

Veteran journalist Bill Moyers shared his perspective within this initiative. For the complete series, visit CJR's website.

Economist Paul Krugman explains how the United States is becoming an oligarchy, a system our founders revolted against. He discusses redistribution, progressive taxation, and related concepts.

This analysis was originally published on April 18, 2014.

Joey Perez serves as spokesperson for the Whale Call Project.

This initiative champions ocean and marine conservation, acting as a critical call for help to protect our vital marine environments.

Activists Marshall Ganz, Rachel Laforest, and Madeline Janis explain how organized people achieve social change. Ganz, affiliated with the Leading Change Network, highlights the distinction between movements and special interests, the power of strategy and narrative, and that the powerful don't always win. Visit Marshall Ganz's website for more insights.

His book, Why David Sometimes Wins: leadership, organization and strategy in the California farm worker movement, delves into these themes. An interview, "Why Stories Matter," also references Paul Tillich's Love, Power and Justice, another recommended read. Both books are available on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Since 1991, Bill Moyers has followed two Milwaukee families caught in the undertow of a merciless economy and a changing city. They constantly faced devastating challenges and difficult choices.

Moyers revisits these reports, exploring the human price of inequality with journalists Barbara Miner and Barbara Garson. Their books are available for order on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Bill critiques the hypocrisy of "justice for all" in a society that squanders billions on fraudulent wars while neglecting its poor. He specifically highlights the failing legacy of *Gideon v. Wainwright*, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that established the constitutional right to legal representation for indigent criminal defendants.

Despite this foundational right, true justice remains largely inaccessible and unaffordable for the most vulnerable. This report, originally published on March 29, 2013, argues that the promise of "justice for all" remains unfulfilled.

America faces a growing economic divide, yet public outcry remains minimal. Media scholar Marty Kaplan attributes this to a pervasive appetite for media distraction.

The program also features acclaimed historian Gary May, who offers historical context on the recent Supreme Court decision impacting the Voting Rights Act.

America faces undeniable economic inequality. Bill's essay highlights extreme wealth and poverty, exemplified by California's Silicon Valley. There, tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Apple create millionaires, while the region's homeless population has surged 20% in two years, living in tent cities near these companies.

A social equality illustration by Brandon Cripps accompanies this discussion.

This content was originally published on April 11, 2013.

Acclaimed historian Gary May, interviewed by Bill Moyers, provides historical context for the Supreme Court's decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act. He emphasizes this ruling as part of a long, continuous struggle to ensure voting rights for all Americans.

May, a specialist in American political and social history, authored "Bending Toward Justice: The Voting Rights Act and the Transformation of American Democracy." The book is available for order on Amazon or at your local bookstore. This interview was published on July 12, 2013.