Racism socially and economically in America Racism is the belief that characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others. Racism and discrimination have been used as powerful weapons encouraging fear or hatred of others in times of conflict and war, and even during economic downturns. From early activists such as Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. DuBois, to 1960s civil rights leaders and radicals such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and the Black Panthers, the progress that has been made toward full equality has resulted from the visionary leadership of these brave individuals. This does not imply, however, that there has ever been widespread agreement within the Black community on strategy or that the actions of prominent Black leaders have met with strong support from those who would benefit from these actions. The struggle for social and economic equality of different races in America has been long and slow. Even though we have come a long way with racism in America, equality through social and economic standpoints haven't been fully abolished. It is sometimes amazing that any progress has been made in the racial equality arena at all; every tentative step forward seems to be diluted by losses elsewhere. For many decades people have been using race as a way to classify humans into different social categories. Lower, Middle, and Upper classes were created to divide humans into appropriate categories using their individual lifestyles, financial income, residence, and

occupation. People decided to ignore this classifying system and classify one another, simply by the color of their skin. People's skin color says nothing as to what a person does, their beliefs, attitudes, or any of the ideas for creating a fair social classification system. Racial barriers were created that divided people into different groups at work and at home. Ultimately your education is the gateway to the lifestyle you will live. Back in the 1960s, there were two types of schools; black and white. Now in America, schools have become un-segregated, but inequality still lurks. Studies show that African-American students are 3-1/2 times more likely to be suspended or expelled than their white peers. This means African American students are missing out in and education. A study released by the U.S Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights show that Black and Latino students across the United States are far more likely to be suspended than white students - and far less likely to have access to rigorous college-prep courses. This inequality in education is providing kids with different ethnicities a smaller opportunity for higher level jobs than whites. Why must a person state their ethnicity on a job application? If racism was fully abolished, a person’s ethnicity wouldn't matter in order to find a job. This is one example of how there is inequality in the work force. Of course, your education is a big factor in the type of job you get, but by having to fill out your ethnicity in order to apply for a job states that employees or a business judges on race as well. Studies from Rutgers University have shown that just 6.8 percent of white workers