Name: Marisa
Post number: 1
Topic: Civil rights
Title of article: Study: Segregation in U.S. on decline, but disparities persist
Author: David Ariosto
Publication name: CNN
Date of publication: January 31st, 2012
Length of article: 2 pages
A study released on January 30th by the Manhattan Institute alleges
that segregation of African-Americans across the United States has
“dropped to its lowest level in more than a century.” The study, based
off of census data from as early as 1890, states that now, only 0.5% of
neighborhoods are without African-Americans, in comparison to 20% half a
century ago. Opponents of the article [optimistically entitled “The
End of the Segregated Century”] argue that the significance and
magnitude of these changes are exaggerated. A point brought up by
professors Sean F. Reardon and Kendra Bischoff of Stanford University
was that the income gap is increasing, within both the overall U.S.
population and within racial groups. On the education front, schools
are commonly considered “less integrated” than in the 1970s and 1980s,
according to Jacob Vigdor of Duke University. In sum, though
segregation is in remission, it is too early to say that it has died.
Furthermore, the more pressing issue of economic equality is coming
into play, which serves to stratify society further.
[article can be found here]
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ReplyDeleteBased on the decreased segregation percentage from 20% to .05%, concrete advancement has been made concerning neighborhood integration. However, the income gap between races is increasing, showing that while progress is being made on some fronts, it is lacking in others. According to Jacob Vigdor of Duke University, school integration is worse than it was in the 1970s and 80s. The root problem is in income, and if that can be leveled out, the other issues will be able to gradually rectify themselves over time.
ReplyDeleteThe article makes the visible argument that the segregation of African Americans is in decline. The study shows that only .5% of neighborhoods are without African Americans, but that schools are considered "less integrated now" as Jacob Vigdor claims. Either way, I believe that racial segregation has decreased in schools and in communities, especially in Palo Alto. Professors Sean F. Reardon and Kendra Bischoff also make the point that the income gap is increasing in the US and in racial groups, even though racial segregation is decreasing.
ReplyDeleteThe study states that now "only 0.5% of neighborhoods are without black people, compared to 20% a half-century ago," that is 99.5% of all neighborhoods have at least one African American person. That is certainly better than 80% 50 years ago, but does this improve statistic really affect the majority of African Americans? It is likely that the wealthiest neighborhoods still have too few African Americans, due to the income inequality, which - as the study admits - still persists. And as we all know the income inequality has increased over the last 30 years for all races, as the top 1% got richer.
ReplyDeleteAlthough some progress in residential segregation have been made,there are still many more problems of segregation that needs to be addressed, such as access to education and employment opportunities.