Our young black men are killing each other and being killed by others. America's young, Black men score below their counterparts in other racial and ethnic groups when it comes to graduation rates, literacy rates and college preparedness; many African American men, in turn, are practically locked out of employment and are filling up the nation's prisons in disproportionate numbers (Thompson, 2012).
Young, Black men are commonly considered to be less than or beneath any other major ethnic group. Many other races and/or ethnic groups feel threatened and/or superior to Black Americans. Most of society equates Black men with trouble. It is because of this type of mentality that many of our young, Black men are losing hope not only in themselves but also in society as a whole. They are reaching out to other resources for support, relationships and in order to make ends meet. It seems they no longer value their life or the lives of others because no one seems to value it. School systems are failing them and not preparing them for higher education because Black men are not expected to go to college. Therefore, Black men are unable to find work because they lack the skills and tools to obtain and maintain employment. Because they are unable to obtain employment to make a living, they turn to crime. A life of crime then leads to prison or in many cases leads to death. Even the Black males do make it out of the criminal justice system; they have a hard time re-entering society because society does not like to give them a second chance. It is a never-ending cycle because once they cannot find a way to live after incarceration, most turn back to a life of crime in order to make a living. .
The plight of African American men date all the way back to the days of slavery. During these times, Black Americans, especially the men, were treated less than human. They were considered property, a possession and nothing more.
