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The Difference in the Black and White Poverty

The racial inequality in the American society has led to the White people being seen as

the most successful ones while the Black community is considered as the poor ones. In this case,

people have focused more on the poverty level of the Black community and even highlighted the

other causes and the consequences that have led to the circumstances. Some have even revealed

how some White people are also victims of the poverty in the US and the media should not focus

on the Black families only. In particular, the comparison of the poverty between the Whites and

the African Americans show some significant differences between the two. For instance, the

poverty among the Black people is more concentrated and extends in the entire neighborhood not

only a particular family. However, poverty will affect specific White families; yet, the entire

neighborhood will have some well-built infrastructure that helps in the proper development of

the areas. This research evaluates the poverty among the Black communities and compares it to

the White families in the US community (Goal). In fact, the paper will rely on four specific

articles that have talked about the entire scenario. Each author will offer a different perspective

on the issue and help in determining the final stand. More specifically, they will reveal the poor

conditions that the Black communities have to undergo in ensuring that they find a source of

livelihood. For instance, they lack enough job opportunities, exposed to crime, and they live in

dilapidated buildings. The scenario shows that the Black community is exposed to chronic

poverty in comparison to the White families. This research will prove that Black poverty is more

concentrated in most of the African Americans’ neighborhoods as opposed to the White

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communities where it is dispersed and one among many residents might be experiencing the

financial challenges. (Thesis)

The poverty that the Black families experience is often much worse than what the White

families undergo (Main point). More specifically, it is often chronic and concentrated since the

entire neighborhood will report the same circumstances. At times, the poor White people might

be poor in a neighborhood that has a large number of wealthy people instead. In this case, the

article A Letter from Harlem presents how the poverty was spread all over Harlem. In fact, the

author does not report of the houses that were made up of the wealthy people. The author also

talks about some Blacks moving out of the projects after they find enough money. The

concentration of the poverty also creates an environment of hopelessness where the occupants

are unable to forge ahead. (Example) On the other hand, the poverty among the White families

is not concentrated and isolated as it applies to the Black people. For instance, one poor family

might be in a neighborhood that is made up of the working class people. In some cases, most of

the poor White families are in the working class while Black people are mostly in the lower

social class. The scenario shows the racial inequality between the two sides and proves that the

Black poverty is quite different from the White poverty. In A Letter from Harlem, the author

shows how the entire project was in a dilapidated state and none of them was living a better life.

Even the author talks about getting food from the grocery store on credit. A few advantaged

people in the community are the ones that were working in the White man’s world. However, the

remaining population relied on handouts and other unstable sources of income. (Example)

The fact that they are black also means that they will have fewer opportunities where they

can improve their economic status (Second Point). In fact, the scenario has pushed some of the

youths to join gangs and other criminal activities since it is the only way that they can seek
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enough money to support themselves. In this case, the situation in the projects is much worse

since most of the Black families will even find a few job opportunities since some of the

corporations will ignore their applications and such issues even push them to seek other ways to

help themselves and that might include crime or even drug peddling. The article A Brother’s

Murder by Brent Staples highlights the life of crime in the ghettos. It captures how they youths

are initiated into the life of crime since they often do not have the opportunity to seek other

initiatives that help in their development. For instance, he also reveals the causes of death as

“stepping on the wrong toe, literally; cheating in a drug deal; simply saying ‘I dare you” to

someone holding a gun, crossing territorial lines in a gang dispute” (Brent, 990). In fact, it proves

how the Black families are exposed to extreme danger in the ghettos, and they have to deal with

the violence as a way of surviving. (Example) On the other hand, most of the White

neighborhoods are well secured, and they will have a better environment where even business

activities will thrive. However, the same case will not apply in the Black neighborhoods where

robbers will attack the businesspeople and take anything they have made. All in all, the White

and Black poverty are quite different since the African Americans have few opportunities to help

them achieve more.

The poverty among the African Americans tends to spread in the streets, grocery stores or

even the educational institutions around the neighborhood (Third Point). The scenario captures

the lack of hope in such areas that will even make the scenario more difficult for the entire

population. The poor infrastructure also illustrates how poor the people are. In such scenarios,

the poverty even becomes a part of their lifestyle since they lack a way to get out of the gutter.

However, poverty in the White communities will often remain in the particular families; yet, the

neighborhood will have some improved infrastructure that might them feel appreciated. On the
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other hand, the Black communities feel isolated since the government has also ignored their

presence in the society. The Letter from Harlem captures the life in the ghettos and shows how

the community has some poor infrastructure. In the process, he insists that the poor surrounding

does not motivate them to seek ways to get out from the location. Perhaps, an improvement of

the entire neighborhood might help in ensuring that the residents of the Black communities have

more positive ideologies. Better security systems and the eradication of the drug trade will also

help the neighborhoods being safe and increasing the likelihood of the businesses thriving.

(Example)

The lack of role models has also made the poverty among the Black families a bit

chronic. (Fourth Point) In this case, even Christopher N. Bacorn in his article Dear Dads: Save

your Sons highlights how the young people lack role models that guide them on the appropriate

things to do. In fact, he showed how it was impossible to counsel the teenagers since they did not

have the proper guidance while they were kids. The scenario shows that most of these youths

need their fathers to act as their role models so that they can push them to achieve more.

(Example) Most of the White communities tend to have the role models, and one member of

their extended families might have been successful. The success will push the young members to

succeed even if their families are poor; they will look up to a certain person and seek more

endeavors in their lives. However, the absence of their fathers or role models often pushes them

into crime. Bacorn reveals that most of the teenagers grow up while looking at the thugs as their

role models since they have money and women. In the long-run, they even embrace the same

lifestyle since it is more lucrative from their perspective. The circumstances escalate the Black

poverty because the societies do not have any hope of the future where the members might find

something that will support their lives. (Example) Perhaps, a few opportunities and the vision of
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succeeding in the future might motivate them to seek the goals. Most of them observe the

widespread racial inequality in the society, and they believe that they will lack enough

opportunities to help them in achieving what they want. Hence, a poor Black person understands

that he or she will be in the same condition for a longer time; yet, a White family will have some

signs of hope in the end.

The fact that most scholars and authors talk about the African American problems show

that their poverty cannot be compared to what the White people are experiencing. (Fifth Point)

More specifically, even Autobiographical Notes talk about an entire bookstore having materials

that highlight the common problems among the Black communities rather than some of their

achievements. In fact, the scenario reveals that they are known for their problems and not their

accomplishments. In the notes, James Baldin illustrates how it was hard to secure job

opportunities, and he was only able to get jobs on reviewing books that talked about the

problems of the Black people. Baldin even insists how the ‘Negro Problem’ “is not only written

about so widely; it is written about so badly” (23). The scenario shows that the Black people are

seen as people that suffer and their condition is exaggerated by most authors in the literature

field. Baldin explains that most authors look at the Black community based on their context that

is “the history, traditions, customs, the moral assumptions, and preoccupations of the country”

(25). (Example) More importantly, he highlights some of the reasons that have led to the Black

communities suffering from the chronic poverty. The portrayal in the media has led to the society

looking at them as people that clearly need help and that have also undermined their chances of

succeeding. Even Baldin reveals how he had to reject other works and insisted on dealing with

projects that were not related to the problems that the African Americans experienced. Looking
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at the community from the context of the slavery period shows how they are supposed to be

laborers and such assumptions have worsened how they are viewed in the society instead.

In conclusion, poverty in the Black communities is concentrated and extends to the entire

community where even the grocery stores and the infrastructure will match their socio-economic

status. (Restatement of the Thesis) The situation in the ghettos is much worse and shows how

people are exposed to abject poverty, and the government has done nothing to improve the

scenario. The four articles various examples that reveal the real circumstances in the ghettos.

Letter from Harlem captures the widespread poverty in the Black communities, and it even

reveals how the entire neighborhood is in a severe condition. The parks, grocery stores, and the

malls show signs of failure since most people are ready to purchase things on credit. The

scenario shows how the poverty is more concentrated and more chronic. Baldin talks about the

scholars that often address the problems that the Black community undergoes. They do not

address any of their achievements, and that reveals the inequality in the society instead.

However, the Black community shows the signs of failure based on the lack of opportunities and

the fact that even the government is reluctant in improving the situation. For instance, most of

the Black communities even lack the proper infrastructure that will improve their situation and

make sure that they have the ability to nurture their skills and experience through the vocational

training. The lack of such institutions have led to the youths using crime as a way of surviving

and where they can access enough income that will help their families too. All in all, the White

communities have a chance of succeeding since the poverty is often short-term and they might

use other alternatives to get out of their challenges. Most of the Black families do not have any

hope of succeeding, and that has undermined their chances of developing in the end.
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Works Cited

Bacorn, Christopher. Dear Dads: Save your Sons

Baldin, James. Autobiographical Notes

Letter from Harlem

Staples, Brent. A Brother’s Murder