African-Americans: The Destruction Of The American Dream

The African American experience is one that is quite different from other racial/ ethnic groups. The majority of the first African American came over, unwillingly, on ships from various African countries. They were brought to America by white, European settlers to be used as slaves in an order to plant and harvest their crops and make money for the white man. This racial group was treated as if they were property and not people. However, with the ending of the American Civil War, African Americans gained freedom, freedom that not all white American were quite ready to handle. After gaining their freedom came the need for education, jobs and suffrage rights. Now in America this racial group has come a long way, having elected its first African American present for two terms, yet still there are many issues that are very prevalent. This racial group has been fighting their way to equality since the birth of this nation. African Americans have experienced an array of conflict, violence, stereotypes, prejudice acts, and discrimination against them throughout their history in America.

Throughout the introduction and chapter 1 of the book, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor explores the relations between the glorified mythology of American exceptionalism and the cultural pathology of Black livelihood, which has pinpointed and placed blame on Black people for their social and political positionality in US society. Black normativity (perceived by whiteness) is depicted as widespread poverty resulting from their innate capacities to gravitate toward impoverished material conditions. Given the dogma of white bourgeoisie ideals, the espousing of “colorblindness” has dominated mainstream academic and political discourse, which has only worked to further preclude the economic and social mobility of Black Americans. Thus, the limitations imposed upon people of color, and Black people in particular, have been the foreboding work of the current white supremacist late-stage capitalist society that continues to commodify

It could be said, the status of African Americans changed due to just the roles that they had evolved into during this time period. By late 1945 increasing numbers of black Americans in the north of America were more educated and skilled making them more respectable within society, more economically powerful and more perceived as being a higher class of people. If they were better off, this created greater prosperity and equality resulting in more success with status. However, this wasn’t a generalization to all African Americans within the states, especially for blacks in the south who couldn’t get the chance to change their status at all as they couldn’t gain any economic power because of the small amount they were paid which in turn couldn’t let them gain any respect. This suggests that the roles of African Americans didn’t create much great status for the majority but only for a small minority who were mostly found in the northern states.

In the film, Africans in America: “The Terrible Transformation”, the narrator discussed the influence of certain criteria in which slaves had to meet in order to work for land owners in America. These criteria included: being African American, non- European, and non- Christian. The government created this criteria system to build a barrier between the land owners and the slaves. The individuals that owned property treated their slaves as if they were foreign/strange. The white Americans did not want African American people to have the same equality as they did; Therefore, America was ruled by the whites while the blacks were merely just servants to them.

To start off, it might seem that African Americans feel that they are inferior to whites. Some might claim that our country has not overcome the Jim Crow Era, proving this by bringing up an example of an African American actress who did not get a part “because she doesn’t quite look the part” (Schwab). But the one actress that did not get a part does not compare to the countless amount of successful African Americans. “Obama, the first black president, Oprah, Samuel Jackson” and so many more are just examples of blacks that are successful in today’s eyes. This uncountable list of blacks in jobs equal to whites just proves that they are not inferior, but that they are in fact, equal. If that reasoning is not enough, take the fact that we have

Lao Tzu once said that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”, which means that no matter how difficult the task, determination requires a necessary prelude for accomplishment (Tzu). People generally perceive accomplishments as the most important aspect of an individual’s value, but ultimately, only oneself can determine their worth and beliefs. The fading of one’s ideals is bound to occur eventually, but the only legacies considered inerasable are deeds. Great men and women are rarely remembered for their beliefs or thoughts; instead they are judged depending on their actions and the resulting consequences.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek” Barack Obama. The question is always asked does the media reflect the reality of society, or does society try and imitate the reality shown by the media? There are a number of stereotypes associated with African Americans in our society such as African American men are athletes, rappers, criminals, deviant, streetwise, uneducated, and unemployed just to name a few. African Americans in the media have changed through the years. The history of African Americans on TV or minorities in general is hampered by the racial conflicts and segregation that are embedded in American society. Historically, black actors have been grouped stereotypically and assigned to comedy. This has often been traced to the genre of black minstrelsy that was popular in the early 20th century.

To many people across the globe, the United States of America appears to be a place where one can be proud of. America the land where dreams come true and there is always a chance for any person to succeed. People who are not from the United States have been painted a beautiful picture of what life in our country is like. Not only do they think that there is a special place in America for them and the perfect career for each individual, but unfortunately this is not always true. The American dream is not necessarily to get rich quick, it is more along the lines of a hard worker having an opportunity to be financially stable and to live a pleasant life. The dream is that their sons and daughters will not have to suffer the same things that

The American culture is define to everyone in their own way. Everyone grows up differently in a particular community that shares the same languages, values, rules, and customs. The American Culture on that is consider to be a “melting pot”, because of all the different cultures that reside inside of it making it so diverse. Race in this country has never been a great topic throughout history. African Americans play a huge role into defining what our culture is as a whole, as well as being a part of racism for the past 250 years.

Another premise in this review focuses on the significant divergences of opinions about the plight of the African American’s situation here in America. Some scholars are asking, how has this new pattern of inequality for the African American emerged? Many scholars point to the decline of middle level jobs (Harrison & Bluestone 1988), the redistribution of manufacturing jobs away from large cities like Chicago and Detroit, where many jobless blacks live (Sassen 1988), and the rise of earnings inequality among workers of all races (Danziger & Gottschalk 1993) as causes. One manifestation of these changes may be that gains in earnings have been offset by a growing racial disparity in unemployment between black and white men (Moss & Tilly 1991).

“The soul was the body that fed the tobacco, and the spirit was the blood that watered the cotton, and these created the first fruits of the American garden” (Coates 104). In Between the World and Me,” and within this quote alone, Ta-Nehisi Coates argued not only the importance of black identity, but also how and why black identity was so deceivingly shaped in response to the dark history behind it. Through Coates’ recollections and fair warnings to his son, the relationship between black identity and “The Dream” becomes clearer. In spite of the “white supremacist” trademark that comes stamped upon “The Dream,” Coates provides impermeable evidence as to why black identity is not only more invested in history than white identity, but more importantly why it is the investment to be made in “The American Dream.”

American is a land of opportunity where creates many chances to success and American Dream is based on education that is considered to be a measure of the achievement. Following “Learning in The Shadow of Race and Class” by Bell Hooks which makes us realize the secret struggle of Hook at college years, and she forced to face of not only racism but also the difference in social classes. Through many experiences, she believed education is the key to success that helped her overcome the shame of being African-American and improved her family’s life. Additionally, Hook supports, “Mama intervened and tried to change my father’s mind, as folks she respected in the outside world told her what a privilege it was for me to have this opportunity, that

African Americans spirituals were religious songs that were sung by the African Americans during work, rest, play and church. These songs were of great importance to the African Americans. Singing these spirituals helped them escape the everyday hardships of slavery even if it was just for a moment. Each spiritual had its own meaning but overall, I think that the central meaning of the spirituals was encoded communication. These spirituals were used mainly to talk about escape plans and routes. The spirituals used biblical names to speak of the everyday people around them. The encoded messages about escape were part of the central meaning of these spirituals. I do not think that the spirituals were overall political. My opinion differs in the sense that I think the spirituals were a genius way to communicate with their in-group. The messages in the spirituals were what they needed in order to escape to the freedom that they deserved all along. First, I will give examples of the encoded messages within the spirituals that used biblical names to reference every day people. Then, I will give examples of the communication of escape. Together these both represent the central meaning of encoded communication.

From being considered two-thirds of a person to fighting a war for freedom, African American’s have surmounted many obstacles that limited them in America and each year continue to move further away from the concept of “the other”. During the Rationalism Era, African Americans have no voice in society and take no part in the unification of the country, but instead are taken advantage of. They are not considered as humans during this period, but rather property, and are only used for economic and political gain for white males. During the Romantic Era, African American’s begin to voice their abolitionist views in hopes of spreading awareness of the cruelty of slavery. Although the effort was valiant, African Americans were still considered an inferior race, of which whom could not participate in society. During the civil war and emancipation era, Slaves are freed from their owners in the eyes of the law, but still have limited civil rights. Although not all slaves are freed immediately, it starts the recovering process for African American’s, which will evidently provide them a sustainable role in society. Throughout American history, African Americans have been marginalized in society and have represented “the other”, America’s racial values begin in the construction of the United States where African Americans are excluded and then as the country begins to split apart into the North and South, tensions of slavery rise and ultimately leading to the emancipation of slaves

Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun encompasses all the ideals of the American Dream through her characters: Walter, who embodies the quest for an opportunity for prosperity, Beneatha who wants the freedom to be herself and embrace her African heritage, and Lena (Mama) who buys a home in a white neighborhood pushing the boundaries of social mobility during that time. The Youngers are in a state of poverty, because of this as suggested by Lloyd Brown “their deprivations expose the gap between the American Dream and the Black American reality” (241). However the Youngers attempt to close this gap, challenging the status quo in an effort to better themselves.