Didived We Stand Black American In The 21^st Century

With the growing economic heterogeneity within black America,mainly due to the substantial sociopolitical changes brought by the Civil Rights Movements,concerns have been arising over a widening gulf between black middle class and black lower class which has been manifested through different dimensions:their respective economic situations,social values and political perspectives etc.By the time,this gulf has seems to grow so much that some even claimed that black America is now divided into two nations with one characterized by the emerging black middle class,and the other by the poor scattering in Southern rural areas or more frequently,in ghettos within metropolitan districts.Therefore,the question arises,is black America today really divided into two vastly different nations?In order to answer this question,the author focuses on the paradox posed by current sociopolitical circumstances for black America:on the one hand,the existence of growing class-based divisions brought about by changes in politics,economy,social norms etc.;while on the other,the necessity of varied interactions and collaborations among its members,especially between black middle class and black lower class,due to the lingering racism and injustice of different forms.More importantly,in the context of current sociopolitical climate,this form of interactions and collaborations need to be expanded and reinforced.What's new about this paper is that,in order to examine black America from a new perspective,the author casts aside the white-people-centered tradition and brings the spotlight on African-American community itself,in order to fully explore the dynamism and interactions within it.Moreover,in an effort to get away from the usual scholarly pattern to always put black Americans at the receiving end and to assign them negative roles,the author accord greater voice to them,especially to the middle-or lower-class members of the community.By emphasizing their subjectivity,this paper aims to reveal the significant but often overlooked role black middle class and lower class played along the struggle for equality and justice in 21^st century.Therefore,through an in-depth reading,analysis and comparisons of historiographical and current literature,together with the published statistics and reports by major African-American organizations,this paper argues that African-American community,contrary to the popular belief that it is now divided into two nations,is actually more intertwined with each other by their shared appeal for racial equality and justice.However,compared with the era before 21^st century,especially the time periods immediate before and after Civil Rights Movements,their struggles,thus their collaborations have taken more dimensions and forms.In addition,this paper seeks to drive home the point that it is not so much the ideological accordance or economic homogeneity as the wish to engage in dialogues that defines a community.African-American community,as any other communities in America,has never been ideologically or economically monolithic,but it never ceases to engage in dialogues based on shared desire for racial equality and justice.And this is what makes it impossible for them to split into two nations.