Equality in America: an Issue or Opportunity for African American

The analysis of the controversy of a black person’s life in America in an essay on equality in America. 'The challenges African Americans are facing today are in the rooted system of slavery.”--Charles Rangel. Ever since the middle passage, African Americans have been discriminated in American society, and treated inhumanely. Black people have always been at the bottom of the American social class because their families weren’t born in America. But despite the white americans racist beliefs, things started to get better for African Americans over time. Hence, America is a somewhat a land of opportunity for African Americans, and also African American have somewhat achieved equality in America.

Land of Opportunity

Subsequently, America is somewhat a land of opportunity for African Americans because although they are no longer enslaved, White Americans and Americans with in the hierarchy of America still have control over their lives, meaning that they cannot do what they desire to do because they are being stopped by white people in power. For instance, the government places drugs in black infested communities in order to increase the white Americans reputation. The text says, “The government deliberately makes sure that drugs are easily available in poor black neighborhoods in order to harm black people, the virus which causes A.I.D.S was deliberately created in a laboratory in order to infect black people.” This shows that black people are less likely to receive jobs in America because the government has placed a bad reputation on them.

In addition, America is somewhat a land opportunity for African Americans because even though white Americans didn’t want them to have their own businesses, they still found a way to create black jobs. For instance, during the 1970s and 1990s, black people started to own farms. The text says,”The number of black southern farms grew from 92,838 in 1972 to 330,791 in 1992, and leaped to 435,290 in 1997, keeping pace with the rise of the population.” This shows that America is in fact a land for opportunity for black people because over time they make more money by owning more businesses.

Similarly, America is somewhat a land of opportunity for African Americans because the racism that happened in America gave African Americans the opportunity to revolt against the White americans, as well as the government, and gain justice. For instance, The Civil Rights movement was the cause for multiple civil rights acts being passed, which allowed for African Americans to be treated with equality and have more job opportunities. The text says,”African Americans have seen drastic improvements in public place desegregation and voting registration. The four civil rights acts passed provided opportunities for African Americans. They opened the door to potential improvements to their lifestyle.” This shows that African Americans can improve their lifestyle by demanding change, because America gives them the opportunity to do that.

To conclude, America is somewhat a land of opportunity for African Americans because the government often tries to come up with ways to keep black people out of power, and keep them in poverty. For instance, the government pay white Americans to condone violence upon innocent black people, so that they can still in control over America. The text says,” The abrupt enfranchisement of blacks threatened white control over local politics. This gave whites in former slaveholding countries an incentive to promote an environment of violence and intimidation against the new freedmen, with purpose of disenfranchising them.” This shows that black people don’t have the opportunity to do what they want in their lives because they have white people using violence to try and stop them.

The Extent to Their Equality

Furthermore, African Americans have somewhat achieved equality in America because generations of white people have been taught to dislike them because of their skin color. For instance, because generations of white people have been taught to dislike black people, they try to harm them and create policies to destroy their spirits.

The text says,” Economic changes gave southern white elites an incentive to promote anti-black Sentiment in their local communities by encouraging violence towards blacks, racist attitudes, and the institutionalization of racist policies such as black codes, and produced racially conservative attitudes that have been passed down locally, one generation to the next.” This shows that African Americans have somewhat achieved equality because they still are not accepted in the American society, and discriminated socially, politically, and economically.

In addition, African Americans have somewhat achieved equality in America because in today’s society, some white people are starting to respect black people as humans. For instance, white kids in high school are starting to take respect in their black classmates. The text says,” Well educated blacks agree that ‘whites want to keep blacks down’ rather than help them or simply leave them alone. But by the 2000’s, black with low status were perceiving less white hostility.” This shows that African Americans have somewhat achieved equality because if they went to school with white people 50 years ago, they would have not been allowed to go to school with them.

Moreover, African Americans have somewhat achieved equality in America because although black people can still do what they please to do in today’s society, they are most likely to be arrested than the average white person. For instance, a study at Dayton University concluded that black men get served more jail and prison sentences than white men. The text says,” Black men are eight times more likely to be in prison than white men, with an incarceration rate of 3,408 per 100,000 black males compared to the rate of 417 per 100,000 white males.” This shows that African Americans have somewhat achieved equality in America because they still are being discriminated in the American society.

In addition, African Americans have somewhat achieved equality because in today’s society, the average African American isn’t in poverty. For instance, African Americans are now being considered middle class in the American society. The text says,”African Americans can be described as middle class, as compared with about half of whites. That is an astonishing-probably historically unprecedented-change from the early 1960’s, when blacks enjoyed the ‘preserve equality of almost uniform poverty.” This shows that African Americans have somewhat achieved equality because although they are generationally poor, they still found ways to have proper housing.

Finally, African Americans have somewhat achieved equality because there are mostly white people being involved in the government. For instance, when black people are being involved in something governmental or political, they are usually the ones being prosecuted. The text says,” A total of 98 percent of the judges in the U.S are white, while most of the people receiving prison terms or a death sentence is black.” This shows that black people are more likely to go jail or prison because there are mostly white people giving them their sentences.

Conclusion

In conclusion, America is a somewhat a land of opportunity for African Americans, and also African American have somewhat achieved equality in America because although there are many good opportunities have been created for black people over time, there is still room for improvement when it comes to black people achieving equality. For instance, black people are still being discriminated because of the color of their skin. In their defense, black people haven’t really been accepted in the American society, most of the times they feel unwanted because of the racist beliefs White Americans have about them. Therefore, America is somewhat a land of opportunity for African Americans, and African Americans have somewhat achieved equality.