In order to accurately understand any historical problem it is necessary to go to the beginning of it, document and examine the technological/economic/social/political/cultural context that created it, and trace the stages of its development up to the present.  Black people's development within the United States has always mirrored the level of development of technology for industry and agriculture; the production, distribution, exchange, consumption, and reproduction process; and the political/racial maneuvering of the white ruling class to keep the two united, profitable, and benefiting an all white class, cultural, and racial unity among the majority white population against nonwhites.  In return, whites generally kept higher living standards and had better life chances relative to other nonwhite populations. 

It is mere illusion to think that transient political alliances between white and black, rich and poor, rulers and the ones they rule, white supremacy and nonwhite inferiority, male and female, Greco-roman/Christian and nonEuropean could be sustained as engines of equality. Social reforms dependent upon fragile and transitory political (class, race, gender, culture) alliances are vulnerable.  You cannot unify unequals; their interests are inherently in opposition to the other.  It is not possible to achieve political and social equality without economic equality.  Economic equality is objective. Social and political equality are its subjective expressions.  Look at the schools, hospitals, places of worship, recreation centers, universities, means of transportation, housing, clothing, food, life chances, the stock market, the access to banks and lending institutions, control of government, control of military, control of criminal justice---the presidency, the supreme court, the senate, etc., that their wealthy have.  Look at what you have.  You are not equal.