Urban America: The Jungle - Essay Example

Urban America: The Jungle The experience of African Americans in the United s has been characterized by suffering and the struggle for equal treatment. Even after African Americans were emancipated, they have experienced a lot of suffering. For instance, they still suffer from discrimination. In addition, they have found themselves living in communities that are characterized by economic deprivation and high crime levels. For black Americans, the American Dream remains an elusive illusion. They are subjected to a life of constant struggle as they seek to create a good life for themselves.

A study of urban cities in the United States of America reveals the inequality between black and white communities. The former community often is neglected. In Chicago, the African American community is confined to the poor sections of the city while the white community enjoys suburbs. The differences are due to their varying financial abilities. A challenging issue that minorities in cities face is getting decent housing. The high cost of housing in urban areas confines individuals with low incomes to poor communities (Sincalir 53).

Although the city of Chicago has a large African American population, the community has not enjoyed any significant advantage over their white counterparts. The observation is alarming given the large African American population in the city. Urban politics in the country have been shaped by interest groups in the city. A small section of the population enjoys massive influence over the decision-making process in the city. The nature of urban centers changed significantly after the civil war.

The emancipation that followed allowed African Americans to live together with their white counterparts. The process failed to ensure that the whites benefited from a new economic and political system. In addition, the process of normalizing race relations has proceeded in a slow manner. As a result, the position of the African-American in the society has not reached satisfactory levels. As the text has shown, white people still regard their black counterparts with suspicion. The African American community forms a disproportionate portion of the low class in the society.

Their social status are due to the poor start that they got in the American society. Most African Americans came into the country as slaves. As a result, they were subjected to a life of oppression. The American civil war was waged over the issue. The results of the war enabled them to win their freedom. However, the process of achieving equality with their white counterparts has taken a long time. The observation explains the presence of many differences between the two groups. In the text, urban cities are depicted to be mired in corruption (Sinclair 68).

The butchers are forced to bribe health inspectors so that they can sell their products even if they do not meet high safety standards. Urban centers such as Chicago are characterized by a lot of social and economic conflicts. The text has succeeded in a painting a realistic representation of life in urban areas. In conclusion, the African American experience has not been favorable. In most cases, the black Americans are subjected to a lot of discrimination. Most black Americans are forced to struggle as they seek to lift themselves and their people from abject poverty.

In addition, the young people have limited economic opportunities. However, the young people who demonstrate potential have the opportunity to achieve economic success. In spite of the challenges that they face, America has offered them the opportunity to achieve social and economic success. Works CitedSinclair, Upton. The Jungle. Waiheke Island: Floating Press, 2009. Print