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Racial Wealth Inequality

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Racial Wealth Gap in America Inequality is by no means a new concept within America; from slavery, discrimination, and prejudice, the United States has been quite a playing ground for social inequality. Although slavery was officially abolished in December 1865(“America”), its influence on the U.S. continues to ring through society. Specifically in the case of racial wealth disparity, White Americans continue to hold benefits and privileges that are not given to African Americans. This has left an uneven distribution of wealth between the two. This racial wealth disparity between White Americans and African Americans is reflected through the median of accumulated household wealth and a lack of opportunities for African Americans in the job …show more content…

The graph notes that in 2011 the median white household held an average of $111,146 in accumulated wealth holdings, compared to the median black household that only accumulated an average of $7,113 wealth holdings (Traub and Ruetschlin). Thus, highlighting the obvious disparity of wealth in the United States between the two which reveals an unmistakable social inequality. As from the statistics noted on the graph, black households are shown to only hold six percent of the wealth owned by the white households leaving them at a great disadvantage as the wealth gap between the black household and the white household on average had a wealth disparity of $104,033 (Traub and Ruetschlin). Hence, in 2011 for every $15.63 a typical white family owned as an accumulation of wealth in the U.S., a typical black family only owned $1 (Traub and Ruetschlin). Consequently, demonstrating the uneven distribution of wealth within the United States. As the privileged white families reap the benefit of this unequal system that allows them essentially to move forward in their accumulation of wealth at an increased pace than the disadvantaged black families that fall victim to this …show more content…

As through stats, the increasing graduation rate of African Americans only reduces the racial wealth disparity between White Americans and African Americans by 1 percent (McElwee). Moreover, African Americans also seem to experience discrimination in the labor market after graduation that is not experienced by White Americans (McElwee). Therefore, restricting them from fully attaining the benefits that come with higher education to increase their wealth as they often find it hard to get employed due to racial biases and prejudice views that prevents them from gaining lots of opportunities within the job market. Further reiterating that education alone does not determine one’s wealth as there are certain factors such as discrimination within the racial wealth gap that continually leaves one group at a disadvantage while another continues to reap the

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