Ryan Lippert

POL 150

MWF 10:10-11

Poverty Project

I. A structure is defined as “an organization of parts as dominated by the general character

of the whole” (Structure, Merriam-Webster, 2017). With this definition in mind, the topic of

poverty can be viewed as more than a mere condition; instead, it is a single structure composed

of various constraints. Such constraints as place, resources and political economy unfortunately

poverty. It is my strong-held belief that education – with particular emphasis on social stigmas –

holds tremendous power in the battle against poverty and its many compounding effects. An

exploration into three cities spanning the United States, including Bridgeport, Connecticut;

Birmingham, Alabama; and Los Angeles, California, provide a picture of how the structural

constraints of poverty impact Black Muslims.

II. An individual is the sum of many parts. One may identify themselves by gender, race,

religion, sexual preference and more depending on a particular context, yet somehow these

identifiers still fail to scratch the surface of who a person really is. As described by Susan J.

Ferguson in Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Social Class: Dimensions of Inequality and Identity,

“. . . every identity is unique . . . our identities derive from our particular experiences in the

world which are unlikely to overlap with others” (p. 155). Ferguson expands on this notion of

identity by adding, “. . . they are social and depend on context. In other words, they are both

further emphasized when considering the identity of race. Race refers to each of the major

divisions of humankind having distinct physical characteristics such as skin tone. For example,

in public, it is not uncommon for the African American identity to be subjected to a barrage of

stereotypes. From absentee fathers to criminal intent, assumptions made about another based on

For individuals such as the Black Muslims considered in this essay, the struggles of

living below the poverty line are compounded by their unique identities as members of multiple

minority groups as well as societal views they must endure. Ferguson explains, “. . . if social

category matters in a given community and if a person claims an association with this category,

or if others associate her with this category, that category will have some impact on her

behavior” (p. 157). Such a social category would include one most significant to the Black

Muslim: Religion. As defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, religion is “a set of beliefs

concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe . . . usually involving devotional and

ritual observances, and often containing a moral code for the conduct of human affairs”

(Religion, Merriam-Webster, 2017). Describing their experience, “nearly all American-born

black Muslims (96%) say there is a lot of discrimination against Muslims in America, almost

identical to those who say there is a lot of discrimination against black people in the United

in the United States” (Greenwood, 2017).

Poverty is not a new phenomenon. Though much of the landscape has changed, the

prevalence of poverty in America has alarmingly endured. As author, Stephen Pimpare,

describes in his 2011 book, A People’s History of Poverty in America, “Among ‘advanced’

Americans. By 2012, poverty among African-Americans had fallen to 27.2% – still more than

double the rate among whites (12.7%)” (DeSilver, 2014). DeSilver continues his exploration of

poverty by comparing interesting shifts in the poverty paradigm, such as a majority of those in

poverty today – 57% – are of working age, 18-64 years old. In 1959, the percentage was only

41.7%. Another shift can be found in the household structure within low-income communities.

DeSilver recites, “In 1973 . . . more than half (51.4%) of poor families were headed by a married

couple; 45.4% were headed by women. In 2012, just over half (50.3%) of poor families were

female-headed, while 38.9% were headed by married couples” (DeSilver, 2014). Poverty’s effect

on education is equally disheartening. In their July 2011 Education Research and Review article,

The Effects of Poverty on Academic Achievement, authors Lecour and Tissington explain a U.S.

Department of Education study of third through fifth grade students from 71 high-poverty

schools. “Students scored below norms in all years and grades tested; students who lived in

communities that education is most important and yet is most lacking.

III. For many African Americans living below the poverty line (25.4% compared to the

national average of 14.7% according to the U. S. Census in 2015), the negative effects of poverty

extend far beyond the classroom; it is a way of life. Though the Civil Rights Movement ended