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The American Dream Essay Outline

1058 Words5 Pages

Gupta 1 2
Ria Gupta
Dr. Rands
AP Lang
2-7-23
The American Dream America has been described as a land of opportunity. What is the American dream, is it having a million-dollar bank account, a mansion, and a fancy car? Or the ability to travel the world and visit fine-dining restaurants? Or doing better than your neighbors? For most people, the “American dream” means achieving a quality of life better than the previous generation solely on the basis of one’s hard work, education, good decisions, and the sacrifices one makes. Achieving the American dream, in its ideal sense, does not depend on, the race or class one is born into; But is that really true? While hard work can increase one's chances of achieving the American Dream, some people …show more content…

According to Armstrong, “Due to the pervasiveness of racial discrimination in contemporary society, researchers are obligated to investigate the impact of discrimination on African Americans’ perceptions of their attainment of the American Dream”(Armstrong 228). Data from last year's census indicates that the homeownership rate for whites was 74% compared to only 44% for blacks and this has widened since the civil rights movement of the 1970s. This strengthens the argument that no matter how hard someone works, they still may not be able to afford a home and live where they want to. These circumstances limit the opportunities and access to amenities for their children and already put them behind their peers living in more desirable neighborhoods. Also, lack of home ownership prevents the creation of generational wealth, thus limiting the “American dream” for one family and the many generations that follow. Racial discrimination is a significant obstacle to African American achievement. For example, a reason for the lack of improvement in the homeownership gap, despite the fair housing Act of 1968 is the racial discrimination inbuilt into our financial institutions. Many banks are reluctant to open branches in black neighborhoods, (support this) denying them the opportunity to build a relationship with a banker which can lead to a loan for a down mortgage payment, and protect them from predatory lending practices. This places the population in this area at a disadvantage. Neighborhoods that are predominantly white, have better maintenance of parks, schools, and other facilities, adding to their property value. These practices also prevent black homeowners from securing loans to improve or maintain their property. Hence, even when a black person is able to own a home, its price appreciates far more slowly than the national

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