Prejudice and Discrimination in America Today

Across the nation, millions of Americans of all races turn on the television or open a newspaper and are bombarded with images of well dressed, articulate, attractive black people advertising different products and representing respected companies. The population of black professionals in all arenas of work has risen to the point where seeing a black physician, attorney, or a college professor are becoming more a common sight. More and more black people are holding positions of respect and authority throughout America today, such as Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Condelezza Rice and many other prominent black executives. As a result of their apparent success, these black people are seen as role models for many Americans, despite their race. However, these groups of black people are exceptions to the rule and consist of only a tiny fraction of all black Americans. These black people in turn actually help to reinforce the inequality of black Americans by allowing Americans of other races to focus on their success. A common thought is, "They made it, why can't you do the same?" The direct and truthful answer to that question is Racism.

Despite all these accepted images of successful black people "selling" the idea that the color of a person's skin is irrelevant, racism still exists and will forever exist in America. It is a never-ending phenomenon that is ingrained in American life. Racism is America, just as America is built around the idea of racism. As the civil rights activist and scholar Derrick Bell would say, "Racism is an integral, permanent, and indestructible component of this society." He proclaims that no matter what blacks do to better their status, they are doomed to fail as long as the majority of whites do not see t...

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...ard fought battle that is still not near to being over, we as black people continue to fight on. Sitkoff said it best,

"The Brown decision, the March on Washington, and the civil rights acts of the 1960's seemed like relics of a bygone era. A quarter of a century later the United States remained a racially divided and unequal society. The African American struggle had indeed made a difference. It brought significant changes and achieved substantial advancements. Yet the full promises of the movement had not been realized. Prejudice and discrimination, both subtle and blatant, continued to poison race relations."

Whatever the movement had accomplished, the most paramount tasks still lay ahead. We will not give up; we will continue to fight. We realize this is a never-ending struggle, yet we surge on, with hope and pride. For one day "we shall overcome."