democracy in black -- a book review

Eddie Glaude's Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul explores America's "original sin":  The Founding Fathers saw fit to weave slavery right into the very fabric of the nation via the Constitution.  Unfortunately, inequality between black and white has somehow persisted way past emancipation, despite pronouncements by political pundits that the election of the first black President had issued in a promising, post-racial era.

That fundamental American belief that "all people are created equal" was subverted from the very start, says Glaude.  And in Democracy in Black he indicts a malingering white supremacy that he sees as standing between blacks and the proverbial American Dream.

Instead of improving race relations, the author believes that Barack Obama's ascension to the presidency has only served to embolden bigots.   As proof, he points to "the increase in explicit racism" reflected in "the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, and so many others".

And, what's more, Glaude highlights the widening wealth gap between blacks and whites, which has left the African-American community devastated.  Home foreclosures, poverty and an astronomical unemployment rate are just a few of the host of woes visited upon the 'hood.

There's plenty of blame to go around for Glaude.  Not the least of them, President Obama.  Blacks, he claims, are worse off than in 2008.  And his case is certainly persuading me.

I only wish he'd devoted as much, if not more, time to exploring all the ways in which we find reconciliation.

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I received a free copy of this book as part of the Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review here.