New Survey: Black Americans Say The American Dream Was Never Theirs

Many respondents had similar sentiment: The American Dream never existed and Black Americans need to build their own dream.

America is rolling back the progress Black people have diligently fought for. In anticipation of Juneteenth, the day the last enslaved people got word of their freedom, two years after emancipation, BET asked Black Americans if the American Dream still existed.

The overwhelming majority of respondents were clear. The answer is no, the American Dream never existed.

“There is no dream for Black people,” one person said. “This country wasn’t built for us—it was built by us, for others.”

Another person made clear that it was Black Americans’ responsibility to build their own dream.

“We had to make our own version,” one person said. “Their dream was never ours to begin with.” They added, “If they don’t have a seat for us at the table, we bring our own chair—or build a whole new table.”

Disheartening Data On Progress

Unfortunately, multiple data points support the notion that Black Americans are not keeping pace with their counterparts. The rollback of DEI initiatives that strove to provide equity in corporate America is a clear attack on progress. Affirmative action’s dismantling by the Supreme Court is affecting Black students in higher education.

BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported on declining student acceptance rates in American colleges.

“Data released in August 2024 showed that close to 5% of MIT’s incoming class of 2028 was Black, in comparison to its average of 13%. The neighboring school of Amherst College saw a significant drop from Black students making up 11 % of the class of 2027 to only 3% for the class of 2028.”

Yet, despite these roadblocks, Black folks are making progress in today’s America, however slowly.

According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, “Median Black wealth or net worth (assets minus debts) has reached a new high. In 2022, median Black household wealth reached nearly $45,000, more than double the post-Great Recession low of about $17,000 seen in 2013.”

Still, it is not enough. The financial gains of Black households are still woefully low in comparison to those of white Americans. Black Americans are unemployed 1.7 times more than others. If the current trend continues, the Center for Economic and Policy Research states that it could take 500 years to bridge the gap between economic inequality.