Frontline S2013E14 - Two American Families

Since 1992, Bill Moyers has followed the story of two ordinary, hard-working families in Milwaukee — one black and one white — as they battle to keep from sliding into poverty. A remarkable portrait of perseverance, Two American Families raises unsettling questions about the changing nature of the U.S. economy and the fate of a declining middle class.

It's a central premise of the American dream: If you're willing to work hard, you can make a living and build a better life for your children. But what if working hard isn't enough to ensure success — or even the basic necessities of daily life?

This episode follows two ordinary families who have spent the past 20 years in an extraordinary battle to keep from sliding into poverty.

The film, a collaboration with veteran PBS journalist Bill Moyers, who has followed the Stanleys and the Neumanns over the years, raises unsettling questions about the changing nature of the American economy and the fate of a declining middle class.