Racial Inequality in America: Kings Lasting Impact and Relevance Today

Abstract

Social Issues Raised by King Affecting the United States Today Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” addressed the social issues affecting African Americans in the 1960s. He demonstrated that racial inequality and racism were significant challenges facing blacks in the country. Racial injustices caused by discriminative laws and policies had denied blacks equal social and economic growth in the country. King advocated for social change and the involvement of All Americans in civil movements to promote equality. However, social issues existing today are indication that King’s speech and letter are relevant to correct the social injustices against blacks today. Racial prejudice caused by stereotypes still persists in the United States as highlighted by King in his 1963 speech. Martin Luther King Jr. was speaking in front of an audience composed of whites and blacks who were supporting equal protection of all by people by the law. In his speech, he advocated for equality and emphasized on all Americans being viewed as equal regardless of their skin color. However, King’s dream is yet to be fully realized since racial inequality is a persistent issue in the country. If Americans do not feel that they are equally treated by the law and seen as equal by other Americans, King’s dream is yet to become a reality. Racial discrimination in the justice system is a challenge as evidenced by the increased use of force against black suspects (Worrall et al. 1177). Police officers are more likely to use deadly force when making an arrest if the suspect is African American. Incidents of unarmed black men being shot by police officers during traffic stops indicate the persisting discrimination associated with stereotypes. While King addressed discrimination in the criminal justice system as a social issue in 1963, the problem continues to negatively affect black people in the country. Additionally, King envisioned a country where black people and white people address issues of injustice objectively and coexist in the same neighborhoods. Civil rights and equality require that all American people acknowledge the existence of problems with racial injustice and are willing to have them addressed. Towards the achievement of this goal, King noted that racism must come to an end and people must treat each other as equal citizens. The United States has made progress achieving racial equality through policy and reforms in the justice system. The goal of such policies is to create an equal background for social and economic prosperity among all Americans. However, racism is yet to be fully addressed and still causes challenges for Americans in different ways (Clayton 452). White and black people are involved in the implementation of policies and reforms that address racial inequality in the United States. Regardless of extensive changes in policy since the 1960s people make actual decisions that affect people’s lives and amount to racial inequality. Decisions made by Americans from a biased point of view demonstrate the persisting social issue of racism in the country. In particular, the discrimination of black patients in the American healthcare system is an indication of the persisting social challenges addressed by King. When healthcare professionals provide different levels of quality of care, African Americans are discouraged from seeking services in hospitals (Yearby 1130)....