Introduction
The history of the United States is uniquely tied to the evolution of the Black community in the country. The nation has been formed and reformed by Black people, due to their position in society. Although the present democratic system claims to treat each citizen equally, many systemic problems still exist in the US, exposing Black individuals to struggles that are related to their skin color. The existence of these issues and inequalities in the present is rooted in the centuries of racial discrimination that were integral to the structure of America. From the moment Black people crossed the border into the United States, they have fought to obtain their rights, and this struggle continues into modern times due to systemic racism.
Historical Problems
The historical problems of Black people in the United States and many European countries began with slavery and both physical and cultural genocide. Karenga calls this phenomenon the holocaust of enslavement – a destruction of human life, culture, and possibility (109). Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, European and then American captors brought Black people to the Americas to work without any pay or ability to return home. They became a separate social class of people seen as beneath the white citizens and immigrants who settled on the continent that was new for them. For centuries, former Africans rebuilt their culture from the stories and traditions that were shared among enslaved people, creating their own unique communities and sharing the struggles of great violence and injustice.
Eventually, the rebellion against slavery began to form from both the bottom and the top of the political ladder. The conflict between abolitionists and those who supported enslavement led to the Civil War (Karenga 128). In the following century, Black people became Black Americans or African Americans, gaining recognition as equals and citizens in the name and political documents. Nonetheless, the long history of slavery could not be eliminated, as many white people continued to express their prejudices against Black citizens. Those sentiments were not individual – they reached systemic levels, oppressing Black Americans and restricting their access to public spaces, jobs, voting, and other parts of civil life.
Moving into the twentieth century, Black people were citizens of the United States, but their place in the country was not equal to that of white residents. Segregation is a defining part of this era. Jim Crow laws that remained in place until the 1960s separated the Black community, banned people from exercising their rights, officially and informally, and supported the principle of being “separate but equal” (Karenga 133).
Although Black people could become employed and be owners of property and businesses, they did not have full legal equality and were still limited not only socially but also politically. This split has led to other struggles, such as financial restrictions, career barriers, violence, and discrimination. In the twentieth century, the Social Justice movement took significant steps to abolish these laws and desegregate many areas of life, but racial stigma and prejudice remained in many communities.
Modern Problems
The long battle against legal inequality has resulted in the establishment of the modern United States. Now, society is officially desegregated, and there are no explicit laws separating the communities. Additionally, non-discrimination laws prohibit denying services and rights based on race.
Nevertheless, the issue of racial injustice persists in the country, and Black Americans continue to face similar problems that their predecessors had in segregated America. These disadvantages appear through systemic racism – an ingrained separation of the Black community in housing, economics, healthcare, law enforcement, legislation, and more. Previously existing barriers to political participation, for example, have resulted in the lack of representation of Black people in positions of power and their limited influence over policies and new laws (Karenga 166). The effects of segregation resulted in African Americans’ urbanization, the creation of neighborhoods with racially divided lines, and the concept of the “ghetto” (Karenga 250). In these areas, the problem of concentrated poverty persists, with people being unable to access higher levels of social and financial opportunities.
The impact of such differences places many challenges before the Black community. One of the well-documented problems that Black individuals face is unequal access to healthcare. Bleich et al. find that one-third of Black Americans feel discriminated against when accessing health services (1399). More than 20 percent avoid going to the doctor due to fear of mistreatment (Bleich et al. 1399).
As a result, Black people may be at risk of untreated diseases and conditions that lower their quality of life or reduce their lifespan. Many Black Americans also face discrimination at work – experiments show that employers are less likely to choose candidates with racially distinctive names or résumés with a Black person in the photo (Kline and Walters 765). Racism persists in the minds of people, creating a negative image of the Black community as less able, competent, or deserving.
Another contemporary issue is the criminalization of Black people and the differences this community faces in the justice system. For example, the many incidents where a Black person is killed or brutally apprehended are well known in the United States. In 2012, a Black unarmed teenager named Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a police officer while walking home, after being perceived as suspicious by a stranger (Kovera 1139). A majority-white jury later acquitted the white police officer.
The similar cases of George Floyd, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and many others demonstrate that this is a systemic problem – a prejudiced view of Black Americans, especially young men, as being inherently criminal (“George Floyd: Timeline”). In the same decade, a Black woman was convicted of aggravated assault because she fired a warning shot at her abusive husband (Kovera 1140). These contrasting instances demonstrate the duality of the discrimination, which diminishes the acts of white officers and exaggerates the behavior of Black people.
Potential Solutions
The solutions to the problems of systemic racism must be similarly broad and tackle all parts of life. The discussion surrounding the disadvantages of the Black community notes that the absence of segregation in the law does not prevent racial biases in real life (Hinton and Cook 262). Therefore, it is vital to acknowledge this discrepancy and actively dismantle the present structures to build new ones. For example, one proposed answer to this problem is reparations based on an analysis of the history of inequality and slavery (Moore and Brooks).
Furthermore, expanding and creating programs that address broader social issues in the United States can help Black people access social services and economic opportunities (Moore and Brooks). Fair housing, better healthcare policies, student debt forgiveness, and similar initiatives can decrease the financial disadvantages and benefit the most vulnerable groups (Moore and Brooks). While these changes are not limited to helping Black people, the ideas focus on disparities that disproportionately impact this part of the population.
Law enforcement accountability is another factor that could significantly address the current problem of discrimination in the legal system. Kovera suggests that eliminating biases is not the most effective approach because one cannot control how people think in the moment (1154). To achieve changes in one’s perception, long-term education and learning in cultural sensitivity are required. In the short term, another strategy may be to introduce additional controls for officers, judges, jury members, and other decision-makers (Kovera 1156). The selection of jury members and awareness of the role that diversity plays in trial outcomes are vital to making the system less prejudiced.
Conclusion
The Black community is a substantial part of the American population and has a unique history in the country. From the beginning, Black people in the United States were separated from other citizens, first legally and then only socially. A large part of the present culture is shaped by the persistence of formerly enslaved people and their ability to carry traditions through the decades.
Nonetheless, segregation has created long-lasting effects and has become a factor in systemic disadvantages and implicit biases. Housing, medical care, education, legislation, law enforcement, politics, employment, and many other areas of everyday life are still impacted by racial discrimination. Black people in America face problems that are a product of centuries of racism and separation, and significant changes in every system and structure are necessary to solve all issues.
Works Cited
Bleich, Sara N., et al. “Discrimination in the United States: Experiences of Black Americans.” Health Services Research, vol. 54, 2019, pp. 1399-1408.
“George Floyd: Timeline of Black Deaths and Protests.” BBC, 2021.
Hinton, Elizabeth, and DeAnza Cook. “The Mass Criminalization of Black Americans: A Historical Overview.” Annual Review of Criminology, vol. 4, 2021, pp. 261-286.
Karenga, Maulana. Introduction to Black Studies. 4th ed., University of Sankore Press, 2010.
Kline, Patrick, and Christopher Walters. “Reasonable Doubt: Experimental Detection of Job‐Level Employment Discrimination.” Econometrica, vol. 89, no. 2, 2021, pp.765-792.
Kovera, Margaret Bull. “Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System: Prevalence, Causes, and a Search for Solutions.” Journal of Social Issues, vol. 75, no. 4, 2019, pp. 1139-1164.
Moore, ReNika, and Rakim Brooks. “To End Systemic Racism, Ensure Systemic Equality.” ACLU, 2021.