In the United States, the black middle class consists of African Americans who have middle-class status within the American class structure. It is an occurrence that predominately began to develop in the early 1960s, when the ongoing African-American Civil Rights Movement led to the outlawing of de jure racial segregation. The gains accrued by the Civil Rights Era is strongly correlated with the emergence of a new black middle class.
Despite modest increases in wealth, the black middle class still faces societal and institutional forms of racism and discrimination, which constrains the upward mobility of African Americans. These societal and institutional forms of racism and discrimination are reflected in the racial wealth gap, housing discrimination, residential segregation, the achievement gap, and more. Moreover, the historical implications of slavery and marginalization has made race a proxy for disadvantage, which many African Americans face even despite achieving professional and educational success.
Read more about Black Middle Class: Definition of Middle Class, History of Black Middle Class in The United States, Challenges of The Black Middle Class, African Immigrants and The Black Middle Class, Poverty For African Americans
Famous quotes containing the words black, middle and/or class:
“As far as I knew white women were never lonely, except in books. White men adored them, Black men desired them and Black women worked for them.”
—Maya Angelou (b. 1928)
“The pursuit of Fashion is the attempt of the middle class to co-opt tragedy. In adopting the clothing, speech, and personal habits of those in straitened, dangerous, or pitiful circumstances, the middle class seeks to have what it feels to be the exigent and nonequivocal experiences had by those it emulates.”
—David Mamet (b. 1947)
“Planning ahead is a measure of class. The rich and even the middle class plan for future generations, but the poor can plan ahead only a few weeks or days.”
—Gloria Steinem (b. 1934)