Final answer:
By the early twentieth century, African Americans had achieved partial attainment of the "American dream." Educational attainment increased and more economic opportunities were available, but racial discrimination and inequality persisted.
Step-by-step explanation:
By the early twentieth century, African Americans had achieved partial attainment of the "American dream." While progress had been made in terms of educational attainment and economic opportunities, racial discrimination and inequality still persisted.
After the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, educational attainment among Black Americans increased significantly. By 1980, 64 percent of Black men achieved a high school diploma and 28 percent attended college. Better education, coupled with protections against employment discrimination, offered Black people more economic opportunities.
However, racial discrimination and economic inequality remained challenges for African Americans. Affirmative action policies and the civil rights movement helped increase the number of black Americans in the middle class, but the 1980s saw a retreat in terms of support for affirmative action and the introduction of crack cocaine in urban black communities.