What are the Fundamental Needs of a Struggling Disabled Black Man?

To be a black man in the US heightens the chances of scraping the bottom of the barrel.  More so, if the black man is at the same time a person with a disability. The opportunities to be had in areas of man’s basic needs such as education, employment, and housing are limited by natural bias, discrimination, and government policies.

A black man needs quality education to climb the corporate ladder or make his mark as an astute businessman. The National Center for Education Statistics, however, cites that in 2019, only 29.1% of blacks aged 25-29 completed a bachelor’s degree and 6.2% of the same demographics achieved a master’s degree. It is a sharp contrast to almost 45% of whites who garnered a bachelor’s degree and 10.3% who finished a master’s degree.

Employment and housing for blacks also pose a problem. A report on The Economic State of Black America in 2020 made by the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress highlighted that 6% of blacks are unemployed compared to 3.1% of whites. Lack of employment and underemployment contribute to the US$29,000 gap in household income of blacks versus whites. The income disparity is also the reason why only 42% of black families own their homes compared to 73% of white families. As a consequence, 58% of black households are renting their homes versus 28% of whites. The high cost of mortgage rates ascribed to black neighborhoods and low home valuation serve as further deterrents to homeownership.

by Chibike I. Nwabude

How to Help Blacks Disabled with Poliomyelitis

The good news is that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa was declared free of poliomyelitis on August 25, 2020, a significant enough achievement at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wild polio had ravaged the African continent for years with Nigeria often cited as one of its few remaining bastions where religious figureheads mounted a campaign against the use of the oral polio vaccine. Coupled with the intermittent armed conflicts across the African region that prevented access of health care workers, and, in some cases, led to their deaths, eliminating poliomyelitis was a daunting challenge.

For blacks who emigrated from Africa to the US, the scourge of the poliovirus is but a dim reminder of the past. However, for a few others stricken with the paralyzing disease before they arrived on US soil and granted immigrant status, they must deal with the harsh reality that poliomyelitis is more than just a ghost in the mirror. It is a staple of everyday life. When one is afflicted with a disability whether it be a paralyzed or immobilized lower limb that usually occurs when one has had polio, life is never ordinary. It requires strength of character and a good deal of determination to survive constant doses of criticism and discrimination for being different.

One can assuage the anxiety of blacks disabled due to polio by showing compassion. Welcoming them and pointing out to them the benefits due to a person with disability can go a long way.  

by Chibike I. Nwabude