The American Dream: A Mirage for Black Americans?

By Imanche Sunny. posted on July 30, 2024

A concept that has been the subject of discussion and debate for a considerable amount of time is the American Dream, which is the idea that everyone, regardless of their background, is capable of achieving success and prosperity through the application of hard work and perseverance. The concept of the American Dream has been criticized for being unrealistic or elusive for certain groups of people, especially African Americans, despite the fact that it has been a source of inspiration for a great number of people.

Some of the arguments that support the contention that the American Dream is a myth for African-Americans are as follows:

Systemic racism: Racial discrimination and bias are still widespread in many aspects of American life, making it difficult for African-Americans to obtain equitable access to school, work, housing, and healthcare. This is influenced by the fact that systemic racism is still prevalent.

The wealth disparity between black and white families in the United States is considerable, with the median white family possessing ten times more wealth than the median black family. This illustrates the significant economic gap that exists between the two groups.

Limited access to education: Black kids encounter a number of obstacles that prevent them from receiving a decent education. These obstacles include schools that are underfunded, a lack of resources, and disciplinary methods that are discriminatory.

Employment disparities: people of African descent in the United States are subjected to discrimination in the hiring process, which results in greater rates of unemployment and less job stability.

Discriminatory housing practices have resulted in continued segregation of housing, which has a negative impact on the availability of cheap housing and has contributed to the perpetuation of poverty.

The criminal justice system has a disproportionately negative impact on African-Americans, as seen by the greater rates of arrest, incarceration, and police brutality that are experienced by this population.

Voter suppression: Throughout history, Black Americans have been disenfranchised as a result of efforts to restrict their voting rights and limit their levels of political representation.

Health disparities: African-Americans in the United States are subject to major health disparities, which include higher prevalence of chronic diseases and restricted access to high-quality medical therapy.

The difficulties that African-Americans encounter in reaching the American Dream are brought to light by these factors, which makes the dream appear to be a mirage. When it comes to developing a more equitable society in which everyone has an equal opportunity to be successful, addressing these systemic concerns is absolutely necessary.

The following is an overview of the primary points that argue that the American Dream is a fantasy for African-Americans in the United States. There are a number of important obstacles that prohibit African-Americans from gaining equal chances and prosperity. These include systemic racism, the wealth gap, limited access to education, employment disparities, housing segregation, biases in the criminal justice system, voter suppression, and health disparities.

Affirmative action, education reform, and criminal justice reform are some examples of policies and initiatives that are being investigated with the intention of addressing certain systemic concerns.

In this discussion, we will examine the role that individual acts and accountability have in either maintaining or destroying systematic slavery.

The intersectionality of these concerns and the ways in which they affect other marginalized groups, such as Latinx, Indigenous, and other minority groups, will be investigated.

Performing research on alternative conceptual frameworks and models that place an emphasis on fairness, justice, and inclusivity, such as critical race theory or the idea of “liberation economics.”

It is possible for us to work toward the creation of a society that is more just and equitable for everyone if we continue to investigate and discuss these issues.