Poverty in America – SLO #2a: Major Characteristics of African Americans

African Americans are one of the marginalized or disenfranchised populations facing
multiple socioeconomic challenges, including poverty, due to institutional inequities. Like any
other ethnic/racial group, African Americans have salient characteristics that define their
personality. Firstly, African Americans are that they value religion. Notably, African-Americans
believe in the presence of a supernatural being known as God, capable of doing supernatural
things that no man can do. For example, during slavery, most Blacks believed in God’s power to
deliver them from the hands of the oppressive white community. They would sing gospels
hymns to God for encouragement.
Secondly, African-Americans believe that family is society’s most elementary structural
element. African-Americans believe that family members, especially nuclear family members,
should be united to strengthen their social co-existence and bonds. Thirdly, African-Americans
have salient behaviors that differentiate them from other groups. For example, according to Mills
et al. (2017), Blacks have limited trust in the American healthcare system, making them reluctant
to seek healthcare services and medical help. This perhaps explains why the group experiences
one of the worst healthcare outcomes in the country.
A critical examination of the worldview of African-Americans indicates that they believe
that racial discrimination is the main cause of the challenges they face in life. Notably, African-
Americans believe that the world would be better if every individual is granted the equal
opportunity and treated equally regardless of race and gender. Additionally, African-Americans
believe in helping others. This explains the presence of tens of thousands of charitable
organizations spearheaded by blacks that advocate for the rights of fellow blacks and other
vulnerable populations (Grills et al., 2016). Blacks often engage in social work to help needy

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individuals facing numerous challenges. The other characteristic of African-Americans is that
they have low socioeconomic status, which makes them less privileged than other races. Most
blacks work in less rewarding jobs, making it difficult for them to live high-quality lives, pay for
better healthcare, and live in safe neighborhoods. More Blacks are poor and own less property
than whites or Latinos. As of 2020, roughly 19.5% of African Americans live below the federal
poverty line, compared to only 8.2% of whites (Statista Research Department, 2021).

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References

Grills, C., Cooke, D., Douglas, J., Subica, A., Villanueva, S., & Hudson, B. (2016). Culture,
racial socialization, and positive African American youth development. Journal of Black
Psychology, 42(4), 343-373.
Mills, S. D., Fox, R. S., Gholizadeh, S., Klonoff, E. A., & Malcarne, V. L. (2017). Acculturation
and health behaviors among African Americans: A systematic review. Journal of Cross-
Cultural Psychology, 48(7), 1073-1097.
Statista Research Department. (2021, Sep 21). Poverty rate in the United States by ethnic group

2020. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/200476/us-poverty-rate-by-ethnic-
      group