The Socioeconomic Disparity Between Black and White Teens in Philadelphia
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The Socioeconomic Disparity Between Black and White Teens in Philadelphia
Introduction
For a very long time, racial segregation has been a problem that affects individuals in different parts of the world. This issue has been present in society since time immemorial. The basis of racism is the fact that people of a certain race consider themselves superior over other races, whom they often think to be inferior. This notion is the reason behind the colonization that took place decades ago. Most notably, Blacks arguably suffered the most during the colonial period. In the same era, they provided labor for Europeans without receiving any form of payment. In other words, they were slaves, whose masters treated them like objects. Slave trade was a common occurrence during the period, and these Black slaves found themselves in foreign countries where they had to serve their masters for survival forcefully.
The slave trade resulted in the separation of many families. The individuals that found themselves in foreign countries could not find their way back to their countries of origin. Also, it was difficult for them to know whether the rest of their family members were still alive or whether they had a home to return to. As a result, they had to settle down in the countries they found themselves in and try to establish a strong foundation for coming generations. On this front, Black communities found themselves in foreign countries such as the USA.
However, the later generations of Whites still had some degree of spite towards their Black counterparts. This degree of malignity varies from one individual to the other, but the fact remains that racism still exists in society. Some people engage in racist activities or comments once in a while, either willingly or otherwise. On the other hand, another group of entirely racist individuals exists and would not go to any lengths to try and hide their racist nature.
The effects of racism are evident in different aspects of society. Taking Philadelphia as an example, this paper examines the significant levels of disparity that exist among Black and White teens. How White teens view their Black counterparts may not necessarily be a result of their thinking. Most of these ideologies, if not all, stem from their parents or guardians and the generations before them. Given that they consider these people their role models, they are very likely to believe and practice everything that they say to them. Therefore, when they receive information that Blacks are inferior to them, they grow up thinking this and continue to oppress Blacks well into their adulthood. This cycle is a vicious one, and it continues when these people pass the same message to their children, making it an impossible task to eliminate this vice from society.
Getting a better understanding of the current situation in Philadelphia will help create better insight into the effects of racism on how it manifests itself in modern society. A thorough examination of Philadelphian teens shows that there is a significant disparity between the teens from the two races. This paper analyzes the existing differences between the two groups that are evident to any person that visits the city. Specifically, the article focuses on the social and economic differences between White and Black teens in Philadelphia.
Literature Review
Anderson & Young indicate that there exists a racial disparity in many areas all around the country, where African Americans are the primary victims of these acts of discrimination. They refer to Philadelphia, where approximately 30% of African American families live in poverty. In contrast, less than 15% of White families live under similar conditions. Davis notes that Blacks have the Unique ability to adapt to the most challenging situations and overcome them. As such, he believes that eventually, Blacks will find a way to overcome the oppression that has become part of their everyday lives. Referring to the Philadelphia Equality Index, he identifies the significant disparities that exist among members of the two ethnic groups.
According to Anderson and Young, the reason behind the high levels of poverty is the lack of equal employment opportunities. Whites receive favoritism and get offers for well-paying jobs while Blacks remain unemployed. They state that these differences leave most blacks languishing in poverty because they are unable to land decent jobs. Anderson and Young point out figures that indicate the varying rates of unemployment among the two races. The unemployment rate among African Americans stands at 10%, representing more than double the rate of unemployment among Whites in the same market.
Casselman (2016), notes that kids from poor backgrounds need summer jobs to help them earn some money to help them and their families. However, it is their wealthy counterparts who often land these jobs because of factors such as accessibility to a car and easy access to these job places. He further says that financially able parents help their teenage children land summer jobs, unlike those that face financial strains. As a result, the rich keep getting richer while the poor continue to languish in poverty. Therefore, he indicates that the socioeconomic disparity among teenagers is mainly due to the influence of their parents.
Womack indicates that the only way for Blacks to deliver themselves from poverty is by relying on their talents and abilities. He points out the likes of Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters who thrived in golf and tennis, respectively. From his interpretation, it is clear that nobody hands Blacks any favors, and they have to work extremely hard to earn everything in their possession.
The Urban League of Philadelphia highlights the homeownership situation among Blacks and Whites. Only 53% of Blacks in Philadelphia own homes, compared to 64% of Whites. Even so, the value of the houses owned by Blacks is significantly lower compared to White homeowners. The median cost for Black homes is $75,100, while for Whites, it is $174,100, as indicated by the Urban League of Philadelphia.
History
Philadelphia has an extensive history of racism and sexism. The history runs so deep that many people consider Philadelphia the most racist city in the United States of America. Philadelphia was the first major city in what is currently the United States of America. From its early days, the population of Blacks in the area was significant. The community comprised of both free blacks and slaves. This area served as a refuge for Blacks escaping the life of slavery. With the increased immigration of Blacks, their population in the city continued to grow substantially (Leslie, 2016). In a time-frame of about a century, the Black community in Philadelphia rose from 2000 in 1790, to approximately 40,000 in 1890. The availability of jobs in mines and mills influenced the Blacks’ decision to move to the city in large numbers. At the time, employers handed such heavy and dangerous work to the Blacks. The Blacks did not have much of a choice as they needed to survive. Therefore, any job opportunity, regardless of the hazards involved, was viable for them, provided they received payment to enhance their survival.
During World War I, immigrants could no longer move to Philadelphia to offer their labor services. Also, several White workers received recruitment to perform duties as soldiers during the colossal war. Consequently, the Blacks that remained in Philadelphia had the opportunity to take over the numerous job opportunities arising from the situation at that time. This increased demand for labor prompted even more blacks to move to the city to occupy the vacant positions.
However, as soon as the war ended, the White veterans returned to the city and immediately reclaimed their old Jobs. A lot of blacks became jobless, and the issue of survival once again became a headache to them. This period marked the beginning of seemingly endless completion between Blacks and Whites for jobs. This completion was anything but healthy. As a result of these competitions, tensions were on the rise between the two races. On some occasions, Blacks would be the victims of violent behavior from the Whites who believed that they deserved the jobs more than the Blacks did.
The tensions arising between the two races had several adverse effects, especially to the Blacks. For example, in 1917, the Whites organized race riots against the Blacks (Leslie, 2016). These riots resulted in the death of two individuals, and several more people sustained severe injuries. In 1911, the Whites burnt Zacharia Walker to death (Leslie, 2016). This occurrence is a demonstration of the numerous acts of discrimination that Blacks have to endure in the hands of their White counterparts. However, as the years went by, organizations that were against this form of oppression emerged. They fought for the rights of blacks to end the acts of discrimination against them. These organizations include churches, Black fraternal organizations, and NAACP.
Between 1913 to 1922, Local 8, the Industrial Workers of the World, came up with a union that incorporated dock workers from different racial backgrounds (Leslie, 2016). This union aimed at eliminating racing bias that existed in the industry. However, the employers were not happy with the existence of this union. Consequently, they came up with ways to weaken the alliance because of the potential “threat” that it offered. These employers found a way to use the racial differences existing between the members of the union to create divisions among them. Eventually, the association became weak and could no longer serve its intended purpose.
The Second World War came soon afterward and resulted in another series of migrations to Philadelphia. This historical event played a significant role in the fight to end racial segregation as it paved the way for activists to claim their civil rights and the eradication of racial prejudice in the workplace. In 1944, the Whites staged a Philadelphia Transportation Company strike, whose aim was to stop the local transport company from employing Black workers (Leslie, 2016). The only apt description for this kind of activity is that it was a hate strike because there was no significant underlying reason that would necessitate such measures. In a bid to counter this unreasonable strike, the formation of the Transport Workers Union was a welcomed intervention. The union aimed at promoting the employment of Black trolley operators during the period of war (Leslie, 2016).
The existence of this union did not please the Whites at all. As a result, the Philadelphia Transportation Company joined forces with leaders of the former company union to paralyze the activities of the Transport Workers Union. There were eight Blacks undergoing training so that they could take up jobs with the company. This information did not please the whites who went ahead and stopped municipal transportation for six days in protest of this happening. The union comprised of members from minority ethnic groups. The Whites tried to use this to their advantage by creating rifts among the people in what people refer to as the “divide-and-rule” technique.
These activities affected transport activities in Philadelphia, and for several days, transportation did not happen in the city. Given that Philadelphia was a major city at the time, these effects did not go unnoticed. The town played a significant role in the war period, and these rifts caught the attention of the president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. He issued an order to the Secretary of War to put an end to the crisis experienced in the major city. General Philip Hayes issued an order to striking workers that they had to return to their job posts or risk losing their positions. They had no other option but to oblige, and the eight Blacks received the job positions promised to them (Leslie, 2016).
After the end of the Second World War, the city council passed a law that prohibited racial discrimination. Despite the existence of this law, acts of racism and unfair treatment still existed in different sectors of society. The most important areas include housing, education, and employment. As a result of these acts of discrimination, the Black clergy had to hold several boycotts, which demanded equal opportunities in the employment sector (Leslie, 2016). Their efforts did not go unrewarded as they saw the employers meet some of their grievances.
In the early 1960s, there were demonstrations against Jim Crow practices. These demonstrations gained momentum thanks to the efforts of the NAACP. These demonstrations also highlighted how Black tradespeople did not receive employment opportunities in the city. These demonstrations peaked when there were demands for the integration of a site in North Philadelphia belonging to a junior high school. The NAACP, comprised of many Black traders, went ahead to block the gates to the work sites, petitioning for the employment of minority workers. The White Union workers and police officers resorted to violence as a form of response to these demonstrations. Eventually, it became necessary to reach a viable agreement. Therefore, building trade unions and contractors scheduled meetings with the NAACP and the AFL-CIO Human Rights Committee to come up with suitable contracts that would bring an end to the periods of unrest experienced in the city (Leslie, 2016).
When the meeting came to a close, the people believed that some Black employees would get jobs as one of the positive outcomes of the meeting. However, they were shocked to find that the police presence had been beefed up to allow the White employees to continue working as usual without interference by the minority groups. This act showed that the Whites had complete disregard for the minority groups and did not care about them. Over the years, Unions have promised to create a working environment that offers equal employment opportunities to people regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. However, it is safe to say that there hasn’t been much progress on that front as building site crews remain mainly composed of White employees (Leslie, 2016).
The fight for equality did not stop there. Blacks were determined to continue the fight for civil rights. This determination led to the formation of the Black Power Movement, an organization comprised chiefly of Black radicals in Philadelphia (Leslie, 2016). John Churchville, in 1964, established a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Freedom Library in the city (Leslie, 2016). One of SNCC’s major principles was self-organization. This principle inspired several activists to create organizations independent of white liberals.
This library served several functions that were mainly educational. Students went to the library to receive tutoring, as was necessary for them. Shortly afterward, the Blacks formed the Black People’s Unity Movement. This movement used the Freedom library as its headquarters and carried out its organization at the library. The formation of this movement was based on nationalist-orientation (Leslie, 2016). The movement’s dedication was towards gaining control of the community and realizing the self-organization of Blacks.
The Whites felt threatened by the activities of this movement. In 1966, 80 Philadelphia police officers conducted a raid on the headquarters of SNCC, the Freedom Library, and the residential apartments of the activists. During the attack, the cops found dynamite, claimed to be under the possession of Barry Dawson. Consequently, he faced charges for possessing an explosive while the rest of the activists went into hiding. The police officers successfully indicated that the members of SNCC were planning to stage urban guerilla warfare. This move, along with other acts of police repression, eventually led to the death of the organization’s activities in Philadelphia. (Leslie, 2016).
For many tears, Blacks felt that the existing laws and policies were self-limiting. Most notably, the civil rights leadership had a non-violence policy that discouraged self-defense by the oppressed in society. This frustration was particularly fishy because Whites were often the perpetrators of oppressive acts against the minority groups. At the same time, they came up with the laws condemning self-defense. In a way, it seemed like they were creating an atmosphere where they could oppress the minority groups without having to suffer the consequences of their actions. This realization was depressing for Blacks as they realized that they would remain victims of oppression without being able to do anything about it.
Following this bitter realization, the Blacks emerged with the Black Tower tendency (Leslie, 2016). The Black Power was uncorrupted by the anti-communist bias that existed in the past. Instead, it incorporated internationalism anti-imperialism (Leslie, 2016). Young activists founded the Black Panther Party and faced police brutality as a result. These young activists received beatings from police officers who found the protesting against any acts of racism.
In 1970, two police officers were involved in a shooting. The police conducted a raid on the BPP offices, trying to link them to the shootings. They did not find any incriminating evidence against the members of the party. However, the police officers went ahead to force the members of the Black Panther Party to march naked on the streets (Leslie, 2016). This action was uncalled for, and they aimed at embarrassing these individuals for no good reason, in the aftermath of this raid, the support for the BPP. The evidence of this became apparent when BPP organized a People’s Constitutional Convention. The event had over 6000 participants crowding the Temple University Campus.
The BPP suffered continuous repression by Philadelphia cops, who often harassed and oppressed the members of the party. Despite all these difficulties, the party’s popularity continued to grow as Black youth visited their offices to join the party. The supporters were many and well-distributed. In high schools, these supporters sold and distributed the party’s newspapers to fellow students. The party continued to do good in society and managed to feed a large number of children on the streets. However, the Whites did not sit back as they continued to do everything in their power to ensure that the party did not enjoy long periods of prosperity. Eventually, the party collapsed due to several factors. These factors include constant repression by the police, factionalism, spying, and COINTELPRO disruption (Leslie, 2016).
With time, the Whites realized that police repression alone was not enough to keep the Blacks and their ambitions under control. Therefore, the Democratic Party integrated some Black activists and former reformists into their activities (Leslie, 2016). This intervention was a classic case of “Divide-and-rule” as this move created uncertainties and mistrust among the Blacks. Any member could easily have been a spy for the Democratic Party. Such measures effectively led to the decline of the Black Panther Party.
After the conclusion of World War II, Whites returned to Philadelphia, and several Black people lost their jobs to them. This incident was another reflection of the racial bias present in the city. As a result, many Blacks had only two options left: to endure a lifetime of unemployment or take on low-paying jobs to help them get through everyday life. Population statistics indicate that Blacks are the majority race in Philadelphia, representing 42% of the city’s population, followed by Whites at 37% (Magary, 2012). However, the lucrative job opportunities have been reserved for the Whites, leaving Blacks jobless or taking up low-paying jobs.
Philadelphia is the neediest big city in America and faces one of the highest rates of poverty (Leslie, 2016). However, the distribution of scarcity is not even across different races. The Whites in the city are significantly richer compared to people from other ethnic backgrounds. People of color form the bulk of individuals earning below the poverty line as a result of the high levels of racial discrimination in the city. This discrimination is the historical basis for the disparities evident in Philadelphian teens from different ethnic backgrounds.
The struggle for racial equality is still in progress in Philadelphia. The minority groups face high levels of poverty compounded by a lack of employment opportunities (Leslie, 2016). Also, the education system favors Whites over the other groups, who also find themselves victims of police brutality and numerous arrests. White neighborhoods receive prioritization when it comes to renovations while the rest suffer from neglect. It is essential for minority groups to come together and fight for their rights. Unity is critical if they are to achieve racial equality.
Concepts
Understanding the basis of disparities among different ethnic groups requires a thorough analysis of the core concepts.
Racial Equity
Unfortunately, all the efforts of unions and support groups have not managed to attain racial equity in today’s society. Different institutions, laws, and policies continue to portray racial inequity in various ways. A person’s race has become a determinant of the person’s health, wealth, and education, among other aspects of life. Therefore, it is uncommon to notice noticeable differences in the social and economic status of teens from Black and White ethnicities. These differences remain rooted in society, affecting people’s access to higher education and other essential services. Eliminating this vice from society would go a long way in improving relations among people from different races.
Race
The race is not an actual biological concept. Instead, it is a construct made up by society. The idea is ever-changing as people once considered as non-white are now considered White in the United States. Therefore, the idea is an illusion created in people’s minds, and removing it is possible. However, the process may be complicated because people are unwilling to embrace change and accept people from other races as equals.
Ethnicity and Indigeneity
Ethnicity is a form of human classification that refers to a common country of origin. Indigeneity classifies people according to a common area that their ancestors once occupied. These two concepts somehow contribute to race as people from similar regions usually have the same skin color, which is the primary basis for racial classification.
Racism
The concept of racism defines how the consequences of an individual’s actions depend on their skin color. There are different forms of racism, and the most common are individual racism, cultural racism, and institutional racism. Individual racism describes individuals’ beliefs that perpetrate acts of racism, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Examples of individual racism include telling racist jokes and denying employment to individuals of color because of a “gut-feeling.” Institutional racism refers to how institutional policies create different outcomes for people from different racial backgrounds. A classic example of institutional racism is the criteria used to determine credit-worthiness among different racial groups. Finally, cultural racism refers to ideas and notions to portray the White race as being superior to others. These racist ideas have significance in racial profiling, whereby a person’s race determines the probability of them being criminals.
Whiteness and White Privilege
In the United States, it is improbable that a White individual encounters police officers who will stop them for questioning regarding a particular crime, irrespective of whether they are guilty or not. Whites also have a significant advantage when it comes to receiving a quality education, a factor that mainly affects teens. This White privilege aims to deny opportunities to Blacks who are equally, or even more suitable for the position (Williams, 2010).
Internalized Racism
This concept identifies the response of people of color to racial oppression. Instead of fighting against it, they accept the maltreatment and treat it as if it were normal (Potapchul et al., 2005). Consequently, the Whites continue to engage in oppressive acts because Blacks allow them to do so. It would be helpful if they would stand up and fight for their rights.
Individual Sections
From the information studied, it is evident that the disparities that exist between Black and White teenagers in Philadelphia have deep roots and have been in existence for a very long time. The immediate influence on these aspects is the financial status of their parents. Whites often have the upper hand in the employment sector, whereby they receive consideration of their Black counterparts. As a result, it is difficult to find a White who is unemployed in contrast to the high number of unemployed Blacks. Consequently, Whites often have enough money to take care of themselves and their families.
Owing to their rich backgrounds, White teens rarely have to endure any form of suffering while growing up. Their parents provide everything for them, including cars and pocket money, to conduct their activities. As a result, they can move around freely and invest in businesses that allow them to make even more money. On the other hand, many Black families live in poverty in Philadelphia due to a lack of employment opportunities. Teenagers from such families do not have access to the luxuries that their counterparts enjoy. Therefore, they have to toil and work hard to enhance their survival. For some of them, their lives in college depend on their hard work because they are responsible for paying their college fees.
The result of this situation is that such teens do not have time to interact with their peers. The resulting event is that social classes emerge, where rich White teens hang out together, enjoying the privileges handed to them by their parents. These White teens enjoy life while their Black counterparts have to experience hardships daily. Even if Blacks manage to get some form of employment, their employers take advantage of their desperate situation and give them minimal wages. This oppression forces Black teens to work very hard while receiving very little pay. In other words, they slave away due to racism in society.
The acts of discrimination continue to manifest even in the school setting. White teens receive privileges in schools. White teens can concentrate fully on their studies because their parents take care of all their other needs. On the other hand, Black teens have additional responsibilities, such as helping their parents take care of their younger siblings. In extreme cases, these teens have to take care of their parents. This situation interferes with their focus on studies. Also, the knowledge that they are underprivileged in society may weigh heavily on them, pushing them to lose hope in life. This loss of confidence will affect their studies. The overall effect becomes evident in the statistics that show graduation levels are higher for Whites compared to Blacks.
The ideology that resulted in colonization seems to have profound roots in society, such that Whites still consider themselves superior to Blacks, resulting in the high rates of discrimination witnessed today.
Conclusion
Racial segregation has been part of society for very many years. From the look of things, the vice is not going away any time soon. People pass on these evil concepts to their children and even separate them from children from other ethnic backgrounds. They cultivate the notion in their children’s minds, creating an environment that disregards the Blacks in society. As they grow up, they view this situation as the norm, and they do not in any way see any problem with it. They grow up treating Blacks as objects which are unworthy of specific positions in life. They pass these notions to their children, and the vicious cycle is endless. Many people long for a day that these vice would be non-existent in society. However, the efforts required to achieve this state appear unattainable at the moment. As it stands, it would take a miracle to eradicate socioeconomic disparities among not only teenagers but entire populations from different ethnic backgrounds.
References