In the eyes of many, “America is another name for opportunity, [where] our whole history appears like a last effort of divine providence on behalf of the human race.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Throughout American history, we have made a slow progression towards complete equality and liberation for the wide array of people inhabiting the country itself. We aren’t infamously known as the “land of opportunity” for nothing; we are recognized for having the resources that have allowed some of the most successful people in the world to climb to where they are at this moment. This country has countlessly demonstrated how it has allowed even the most disadvantaged to rise to their full potential, which makes living here a privilege in itself. However,
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Though you can control some of the factors that determine your overall ability to look “presentable”, there are many factors that can easily negatively overshadow the customizable improvements that you're able to make. One huge factor that can easily affect the opportunities that you're allowed access to is, of course, your race. Before the Civil Rights Movement in 1954, African Americans were especially faced with inequality in this country. Along with being prohibited from many public services, African Americans were also limited from generally being a part of a lot of the “distinguished”professions available back then. “The ‘successful’ (African Americans) were such as waiters and bootblacks.” (Haley, 5), with their earnings being barely just enough to support themselves and their families`. However, a lot of the time, “[a black] family [could be] so poor that [they] would [just] eat the hole out of the doughnut; but at that time we were better off than most town Negroes.” (Haley, 6). On the other hand, Caucasians (especially white men) were in almost every single position of power in that time, and held a substantial amount of control over African Americans/PoC living in America. “In 1954, the earliest year for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistent unemployment data by race, the white rate averaged 5% and the black rate averaged 9.9%” (Desilver, 1), which was mainly due to how little opportunity African Americans had access to back then. As revolutions for equality began to occur, “[most felt that after] controlling the whole pie since the founding of this nation, the thought of now sharing the pie–with those who will no longer sit in the back of the bus—[which lead] to cries of reverse discrimination among large sectors of white America.” (Love, 1). As of recently, “According to the survey, released by Public Religion
Though you can control some of the factors that determine your overall ability to look “presentable”, there are many factors that can easily negatively overshadow the customizable improvements that you're able to make. One huge factor that can easily affect the opportunities that you're allowed access to is, of course, your race. Before the Civil Rights Movement in 1954, African Americans were especially faced with inequality in this country. Along with being prohibited from many public services, African Americans were also limited from generally being a part of a lot of the “distinguished”professions available back then. “The ‘successful’ (African Americans) were such as waiters and bootblacks.” (Haley, 5), with their earnings being barely just enough to support themselves and their families`. However, a lot of the time, “[a black] family [could be] so poor that [they] would [just] eat the hole out of the doughnut; but at that time we were better off than most town Negroes.” (Haley, 6). On the other hand, Caucasians (especially white men) were in almost every single position of power in that time, and held a substantial amount of control over African Americans/PoC living in America. “In 1954, the earliest year for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistent unemployment data by race, the white rate averaged 5% and the black rate averaged 9.9%” (Desilver, 1), which was mainly due to how little opportunity African Americans had access to back then. As revolutions for equality began to occur, “[most felt that after] controlling the whole pie since the founding of this nation, the thought of now sharing the pie–with those who will no longer sit in the back of the bus—[which lead] to cries of reverse discrimination among large sectors of white America.” (Love, 1). As of recently, “According to the survey, released by Public Religion