Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul

Glaude (William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies and chair, Ctr. for African American Studies; Princeton Univ.; In a Shade of Blue) breaks down the structures surrounding racism, beginning with the threats that exist simply for having black skin. Next, fear and politics become the primary focus of what Glaude maintains are the racial and socioeconomic discrepancies in American social history. Where he may lose readers is his discussion of blacks living in two worlds. Duality has been a topic of black intellectual thought since the late 1800s, when living in both the white world and the black world were part of the daily struggle. Now, these worlds seem to be blending as African Americans belong to all economic classes and have the social space to finally identify as individuals. The progress that the civil rights era begat is evident; class is an ongoing issue in the black community as individuality can be expressed as something outside of the collectively perceived image of blackness. In the midst of this progress, Glaude reminds us that progress won't continue if we don't remain united. The onus falls on everyone to defend equality in the same way as generations before us.