America has come a tremendous way in the journey to make rights equal for all races. Slavery in the United States was abolished in the late nineteenth century and segregation laws were claimed unconstitutional in 1964. Although our country has made giant steps, people often neglect to fully recognize the effects of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and all that he sacrificed for a controversial concern that still haunts the nation today.

On Friday, January 15, speaker Dr. Charles Morgan gave a stirring speech about African American equality and how it still provokes distress throughout the nation. His significant points compelled many students to contemplate what it truly means to accept one another as equal.

However, what really frustrates me is that there are others who have disregard for such a relevant topic. During the assembly, some students were texting, talking, and being completely disrespectful. Even after the serious gathering, I continue to hear students drop racial slurs during the school day, like passing period. Problems like this clearly show that society continues to struggle with acceptance.

Racism and prejudice continue to brew in today’s society, creating a country of injustice. Equality is disproportionate, no matter what the law says because people fail to accept their brothers and sisters. Prejudice prevents people from scratching the surface to see who a person truly is and stops people from seeing others beyond the color of their skin. In his speech, Dr Morgan said, “the biggest injury you can inflict upon a person is to make them feel invisible.”

The reason why “black lives” are continuing to remain acknowledged as lesser is because people are consumed by their own arrogance, believing that they are superior over those of a different skin color. I struggle to understand why a person would think that they are somehow entitled to a better life because they are white. It is dehumanizing and wrong to treat another human being as if they are worthless.

The battle is not yet won for racial equality. This is especially evident in news articles. Stories of police officers killing unarmed African Americans such as Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland and Tamir Rice are haunting the headlines. Police forces are gaining a bad reputation based on individuals’ faulty actions. There is nothing to blame but the ignorance of others and a lack of cultural awareness. The people of America need to change their mindset and wake up to the fact that all humans are equal and should be treated so.