We explore the construction of the American Dream and uncover the reality of exclusion and denial.

Here is this great so-called land of the free, home of the brave, that is denying the most fundamental citizens' rights to a certain group of people Elaine Brown, American prison activist

The election of Donald Trump in November 2016 exposed a deep vein of distrust across the US, where millions became disillusioned with a political and corporate elite out of touch with the sentiments of ordinary Americans.

The institutions that serve US citizens are increasingly regarded as self-serving while the people are increasingly divided and polarised along racial and economic lines.

In this two-part series, The Big Picture: The People vs America we explore the construction and mythology of the American Dream and uncover the reality of exclusion and denial.

We chart the history of post-Second World War America to uncover how race has dominated the political landscape and continues to shape the America of today.

We also explore just how America became so fractured, and how for many, the American Dream has been lost.

INTERACTIVE: The Big Picture: The People vs. America

PART TWO

The People vs America - Part Two

Source: Al Jazeera News