"From rags to riches,
from dishwasher to
millionaire"
hope of
self-improvement
and success
vision and aspiration
illusion
USA as "the land of promise"
some immigrants believed that the
streets would be paved with gold
the more realistic just
hoped for a better life
immigrants believed that in America
personal success was possible and within
reach of each individual because of the
social, economic and political conditions
for hard-working people
liberty, justice and
the pursuit of
happiness
as expressed in the Declaration of
Independence 1776
foundation
of American politics
but: this dream of a democratic
and prosperous society
guranteeing "liberty and justice
for all" has not been achieved
for all groups in America
black Americans >>
often shot by white
citizens
gun law
Martin Luther King
famous speech "I have a dream" (1960s)
referred to the ideal of equality as "a dream
deeply rooted in the American dream"
was optimistic that the dream would
come true for black people too
The American Dream
in our modern world
much harder to follow
not everyone is able to achieve
personal accomplishment
People who are unable to attain success in a
competitive world are regarded as loosers
Barack Obama
elected in 2009
145 years after Abraham Lincoln
had freed blacks from slavery
slogan "yes we can"
first black US President
Democrat
evoked a new confidence in the American people that solutions to the
problems the country was confronted with could eventually be found