The Conflicts of the Black Race: Delayed Economic and Educational Progress :: essays research papers

The Conflicts of the Black Race Delayed Economic and Educational ProgressIn the 1960s, blacks, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., fought for their civilrights and equal opportunities. Although they had single been turn up of slavery forless than a century, they felt the time was way past due for them to receive thesame treatment as other American citizens. Our the great unwashed struggled to receivedecent education programs for their youth for the right to earn a decent living,and to receive respect from other racial groups. Fortunately for our generation,their fight end in victory. However, 30 years later, despite the progressmade then, our community does not seem to have kept up with our ancestors rateof self-improvement. Not only are blacks still disrespected by other races, conundrums also plague us such as poverty, drugs, and miseducation. To makematters even worse, we also have a atrocious lack of unity. Some of us feel asthough it is not our responsibility to help other bl acks when they are in need.Another major problem is the existence of racial discrimination. This negative attitude leadsto many physical and psychological problems within the black community.Therefore, lack of unity within the black community and the effects of racismare two major factors when contribute to the slow progress of black people.Before the Civil Rights movement racism was so blatant that not intentional itexisted would have been difficult. Presently, it is so subtle that some arguewe cannot blame racism for our problems. Unfortunately, they are wrong. Theeffects of racism can be seen in the segregation of our neighborhoods and in ourhigh unemployment rates. White people want to keep their contact with us to aminimum. In 1991, USA Today reported that the 1990 census "concluded that the volume of the nations 30 million black people are as segregated now as theywere . . . in the 60s " (Smith 104). This proves that although some blacksincomes have increased, they d o not ever live in neighborhoods they can affordbecause the area is usually predominately white. The U.S. Department of Housingand Urban Development found that anti-black discrimination was widespread in the housing industry in 1992 (Smith 105). This practice can be found in theworkplace. Ed Smith, Ph.D. found that "blacks with college degrees had a 13percent unemployment rate in 1987 compared to vanadium percent for whites" (Smith112). Many studies exist that prove that college-educated blacks are not muchbetter off than high-school graduates. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rightsadmitted that "lack of education is not the actor for high minority