American Dream a nightmare for most black families
http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/news/details/2598/us/
New report confirms that the American Dream is a nightmare for most black families
Deborah Gabriel
16/11/2007
A new report published this week by the Economic Mobility Project has revealed that the ability of black families to climb the economic ladder – to realise the American Dream, is severely limited for black families, with even middle income blacks earning less than their parents.
Black Britain examined the report written by Julia Isaacs from the Brooking Institution, who examined Census data and made a comparison between family income of parents in the 1960s and their children’s income in the late 1990s to the early 2000s. The findings make grim reading. While the offspring of white middle income families are able to earn more than their parents did, for black families in most cases the opposite is true. The findings reveal that the majority of children from black middle income families actually earn less than their parents.
In the 30 years between 1974 and 2004, both black and white men in their 30s experienced a drop in their income, but the fall was more severe for black men. Despite this trend, overall the median income for families rose, because of large increases in the income of women, especially white women. In short, the trend of black middle income children earning less than their parents is largely due to the decline in the income of black men, which has had a severe impact on the economic status of black families.
As a consequence, in 2004 the median family income of African Americans aged between 30 and 39 was only 58 per cent of that earned by white families in this age group. In other words, whilst white Americans earned $60,000, blacks earned only $35,000. The data also confirms that only 31 per cent of black children born to middle income parents earn more than their parents, compared to 68 per cent of white children.
The majority of middle income whites stay in the same earnings bracket, but the same cannot be said of black families. They may rise up the social and economic ladder but just as easily fall off that ladder. Almost half (45 per cent) of black children from middle income families end up as low income families themselves, compared to only 16 per cent of white children.
According to the report, low income growth for black men combined with low marriage rates in the black population “has had a negative impact on trends in family incomes of blacks in the United States.” It further argues that economic success in the parental generation among black families does not afford protection for children from economic adversity in the way it does among white families.
What this report demonstrates is that as far as blacks are concerned, the American Dream has all but become the “nightmare” referred to by Malcolm X more than 40 years ago when he said: *“I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don’t see any American Dream; I see an American nightmare.”
New report confirms that the American Dream is a nightmare for most black families
Deborah Gabriel
16/11/2007
A new report published this week by the Economic Mobility Project has revealed that the ability of black families to climb the economic ladder – to realise the American Dream, is severely limited for black families, with even middle income blacks earning less than their parents.
Black Britain examined the report written by Julia Isaacs from the Brooking Institution, who examined Census data and made a comparison between family income of parents in the 1960s and their children’s income in the late 1990s to the early 2000s. The findings make grim reading. While the offspring of white middle income families are able to earn more than their parents did, for black families in most cases the opposite is true. The findings reveal that the majority of children from black middle income families actually earn less than their parents.
In the 30 years between 1974 and 2004, both black and white men in their 30s experienced a drop in their income, but the fall was more severe for black men. Despite this trend, overall the median income for families rose, because of large increases in the income of women, especially white women. In short, the trend of black middle income children earning less than their parents is largely due to the decline in the income of black men, which has had a severe impact on the economic status of black families.
As a consequence, in 2004 the median family income of African Americans aged between 30 and 39 was only 58 per cent of that earned by white families in this age group. In other words, whilst white Americans earned $60,000, blacks earned only $35,000. The data also confirms that only 31 per cent of black children born to middle income parents earn more than their parents, compared to 68 per cent of white children.
The majority of middle income whites stay in the same earnings bracket, but the same cannot be said of black families. They may rise up the social and economic ladder but just as easily fall off that ladder. Almost half (45 per cent) of black children from middle income families end up as low income families themselves, compared to only 16 per cent of white children.
According to the report, low income growth for black men combined with low marriage rates in the black population “has had a negative impact on trends in family incomes of blacks in the United States.” It further argues that economic success in the parental generation among black families does not afford protection for children from economic adversity in the way it does among white families.
What this report demonstrates is that as far as blacks are concerned, the American Dream has all but become the “nightmare” referred to by Malcolm X more than 40 years ago when he said: *“I see America through the eyes of the victim. I don’t see any American Dream; I see an American nightmare.”
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