A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that racism continues to impede Blacks' economic progress.  The report, "King’s Dream Remains an Elusive Goal; Many Americans See Racial Disparities," shows that while a majority of Americans think that racial groups get along, "fewer than half (45%) of all Americans say the country has made substantial progress toward racial equality and about the same share (49%) say that “a lot more” remains to be done."


Findings from the survey indicate that "the economic gulf between blacks and whites that was present half a century ago largely remains. When it comes to household income and household wealth, the gaps between blacks and whites have widened. On measures such as high school completion and life expectancy, they have narrowed. On other measures, including poverty and homeownership rates, the gaps are roughly the same as they were 40 years ago."



According to Heidi Schierholtz of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, the persistence of the economic gap between Whites and Blacks is due partly to "lower rates of educational attainment and a lack of access to hiring networks. But even when you account for all of those things, the leftover bit is the out-and-out discrimination."

Read more:
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/08/22/kings-dream-remains-an-elusive-goal-many-americans-see-racial-disparities/
http://www.pewresearch.org/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/19/racial-economic-gap_n_4610492.html

TeachingwithData.org resources:
Wealth Inequality in America (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3922)
Race in American: Tracking 50 Years of Demographic Trends (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3863)
Attitudes about Racial Discrimination and Racial Inequality in the US: A Data-Driven Learning Guide (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3431)
Racial Disparities in Mental Health: A Data-Driven Learning Guide (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3241)
White/Black Racial Segregation in U.S. Cities (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3163)
Race and Poverty in the United States (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3169)
Race and Ethnic Inequality (http://www.teachingwithdata.org/resource/3101)