How does the U.S. end slavery, continue to hold African Americans and other minorities from thriving, and expect them to feel equal? Legal segregation ended, but segregation and discrimination continues. I always read about the wealth gap, and it amazes me every time. Blacks’ household net worth is $11,000 vs. whites’ almost $142,000. Feagin says that white families had generations to increase their wealth, improve their education, and improve their overall lifestyles that others weren’t allowed to have access to. It’s true and there’s no denying that. I agree with Feagin that the crime economy is sometimes the only option that many blacks in poverty have, because doors are shut in their faces. And I think opening The Smithsonian Natural Museum of African American History and Culture is a great step towards introducing the side of history that is untold and many try to forget.

I think, in theory, improving police interactions with African Americans would improve race relations. African Americans would be able to feel protected instead of targeted by the police. But FBI Director James Comey acknowledges that the police racially profile black Americans. I don’t think improvements in the interactions will improve race relations because there are going to be more incidents that draw attention to the race of the subjects and divide black Americans and the police even more. Law enforcement should definitely try, and continue to try in the future to improve relations, but I don’t see improvements in relations happening anytime soon. In NYC in 2014, 54% of blacks were stopped and frisked compared to 12% of whites, and whites account for the majority of the population. I think those numbers will remain stable if stop and frisk is continued.

I think schools should emphasize desegregation and reintegrate. I went to a public school that had numerous races and ethnicities, and the diversity I grew up with was awesome. I learned from other cultures, and they learned from me. But there will be opposition to reintegration. I remember listening to a journalist’s recording of a high school PTA meeting that discussed the high school’s recent acceptance of minority students to come to the school because the minority students’ school had closed down (I think. It was a long time ago). The point is, one of the moms was speaking and said the minority students will bring the school’s test scores down, that the minority students’ don’t have the capabilities to do well with the other (white) students, and that they shouldn’t be sent here. The outcome……. the minority students had to go to a high school with other minority students. I think reintegration can be positive, and not every school is equal. And George Theoharis puts it perfectly by stating that “[w]e have enough history in this country of being unable to achieve separate but equal schools.”