Evidently, black people living under slavery and Jim Crow segregation were not given a chance to flourish in society through self-determination and meritocratic affluence, which is the polar opposite to white Americans. Throughout American history black people were denied the rights to a proper education, politics, and their property was often poached, as well as not having any protection under any state laws. Another major setback was the denial of the growth of the middle-class such as the GI Bill, homeownership and the New Deal. To further solidify his claims, Coats tells the story of Clyde Ross, an African American who fled Mississippi to find work in …show more content…
He observes that people seem to think that black and white people start off at the same level in the playing field and both have the same resources and both have an equal chance of achieving similar goals. Adding on to Coates meaning of reparation, he claims that changing the current course society has taken, the first step to change is awareness. “We may find that the country can never fully repay African Americans. But we stand to discover much about ourselves in such a discussion–and that is perhaps what scares us. The idea of reparations is frightening not simply because we might lack the ability to pay. The idea of reparations threatens something much deeper–America’s heritage, history, and standing in the world”