Despite the fact that we are in the twenty first century, this country still battles inequality and racism at its fullest level. This paper will examine the experience certain groups of Americans have had as a result of specific laws such as the Jim Crow Laws, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voters Rights Act of 1965. The focus will be on the different types of oppression that the African Americans and other minorities have suffered because of these laws as well as other circumstances which contributed to their oppression. Additionally, I will attempt to illustrate how several improvement have been made while in others areas there have only been an appearance of change; however, it is a far cry from transformation. Further discussion will be on the treatment of these groups as second class citizens even though equal opportunity is “supposedly” available to all. Is there such a thing as “equal opportunity” in America or if there is does it only apply to a specific of group individuals?