The American Dream today represents the national core belief of economic prosperity and mobility through hard work and self-motivation. Martin Luther King Jr., however, redefines this dream with the words of America’s Founding Fathers: “All men are created equal” and “they are endowed by God, Creator, with certain inalienable Rights.” As a civil rights leader, King strives for a dream that prioritizes equality as a requirement for any economic progression. While King sought this new American Dream, there was no question that a huge effort must be put forth to solve issues of inequality. In 1964, King already lamented the “schizophrenic” personality of America, calling attention to contradictions of society when we have proudly professed the great principles of democracy, but simultaneously practice the very opposite of those principles. Five decades later, America still fails to achieve equality through the eradication of racism against blacks and the fulfillment of economic justice for everyone, but to an unfortunately greater degree. The pressing issue of racism exists as a direct obstacle towards attaining equality in America.
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King himself declares that “if we are going to make the American dream a reality, we are challenged to work in an action program to get rid of the last vestiges of segregation and discrimination” (King 4). As seen with King’s words, America bears the duty of eliminating the disparity between races, whether that be economically or socially. The issue of black social inferiority is evident through the unproportionally increase in violence towards African Americans by the police. As found in a study by The Guardian, “despite making up only 2% of the total US population, African American males between the ages of 15 and 34 comprised more than 15% of all deaths logged in 2015 [...] Their rate of police-involved deaths was five times higher than for white men of the same age” (SOURCE). The disproportionately large death toll for African American men reflects society’s more hostile perception of the African American race. When a certain group of people face increased threats to their right to live, equality cannot be fully realized. So while King wanted this negative stigma to be removed, the killings make it evident that discriminatory thoughts still persist. Racial inequality is not only a product of social perception, however; economic differences are equally valuable in eradicating racism. The prevalence of economic racism can be clearly seen through the huge contrast of income between white and black household. According to the Pew Research Center, “the real median household income for all households in 2009 was $49,777, [while] the Black median household income is $29,328 as of 2010” (SOURCE). As defined through the numbers, the average Black family makes approximately half as much as the average White family in the twenty-first century, showing the lack of progress America made since King’s civil rights movement. To further illustrate the extent of economic discrimination, the same research reveals that “by 2009 the Black median net worth dropped to $5,677, which was lower than it was in 1984 and anytime since”. When further compared to the White median of $113,149, the black/white gap has become even wider than it was in the 80s or the 90s. The growing monetary gap between blacks and white households is a clear representation of the prevalence of racial segregation in the economic sense. As a result, instead of making progress towards
King himself declares that “if we are going to make the American dream a reality, we are challenged to work in an action program to get rid of the last vestiges of segregation and discrimination” (King 4). As seen with King’s words, America bears the duty of eliminating the disparity between races, whether that be economically or socially. The issue of black social inferiority is evident through the unproportionally increase in violence towards African Americans by the police. As found in a study by The Guardian, “despite making up only 2% of the total US population, African American males between the ages of 15 and 34 comprised more than 15% of all deaths logged in 2015 [...] Their rate of police-involved deaths was five times higher than for white men of the same age” (SOURCE). The disproportionately large death toll for African American men reflects society’s more hostile perception of the African American race. When a certain group of people face increased threats to their right to live, equality cannot be fully realized. So while King wanted this negative stigma to be removed, the killings make it evident that discriminatory thoughts still persist. Racial inequality is not only a product of social perception, however; economic differences are equally valuable in eradicating racism. The prevalence of economic racism can be clearly seen through the huge contrast of income between white and black household. According to the Pew Research Center, “the real median household income for all households in 2009 was $49,777, [while] the Black median household income is $29,328 as of 2010” (SOURCE). As defined through the numbers, the average Black family makes approximately half as much as the average White family in the twenty-first century, showing the lack of progress America made since King’s civil rights movement. To further illustrate the extent of economic discrimination, the same research reveals that “by 2009 the Black median net worth dropped to $5,677, which was lower than it was in 1984 and anytime since”. When further compared to the White median of $113,149, the black/white gap has become even wider than it was in the 80s or the 90s. The growing monetary gap between blacks and white households is a clear representation of the prevalence of racial segregation in the economic sense. As a result, instead of making progress towards