Since time immemorial, various racial groups in the US have faced disproportionate burdens and inequalities. The Unprivileged Americans documents how the interconnectedness of institutions and ecological systems perpetuates race-based social disadvantages, especially affecting fragile Black/African American families. Resources, privileges, and influence remain out of reach for these families. The simple fact of one's zip code, serving as a proxy for income and wealth, influences their quality of life, access to the social determinants of health, and the likelihood of a black hole syndemic of oppression that traps thousands of African American families in a fragile state.
The book argues that laws, institutional policies, and redlining practices like food deserts have prevented the achievement of 'manifest destiny,' relegating African American citizens to a marginalized sector. This relegation lowers their access to quality education, jobs, wealth creation, health, and wellness, including safe, liveable housing and neighborhoods free of pollutants, with sidewalks and recreational spaces. The social practices favored by white dominance in the 20th century reinforce their marginalization and uphold white supremacy. These practices also increase their vulnerability, leading to low-performing schools, homelessness, involvement in child welfare, or juvenile justice systems.
The African American families in the book are mostly at the lower end of the income and poverty levels. Their access to quality-of-life resources and fundamental freedoms is systematically denied. Since the Transatlantic Slave Trade between the 16th and 19th centuries, their history includes sex trafficking, forced family separations, suppression of kinship ties and cultural heritage, legal bans on education and property ownership, and restrictions on autonomy over their own time and care. As Sen (1999) explains, this view demonstrates the connection between freedom and capability and their roles in achieving 'manifest destiny.' The book emphasizes the ongoing, cyclical struggles faced by African American families and explores innovative ways to build community hubs that support low-income, single-parent families involved in child welfare.
