The End of Respectability
Notes of a Black American Reckoning with His Life and His Nation
Format:Hardback
Publisher:David R. Godine Publisher Inc
Published:28th Nov '24
Should be back in stock very soon
American Blacks are entering a new phase in the struggle against white supremacy. Standing firmly in the African American tradition, Walton believes in the possibility of reconciliation with those whites who desire it, offering a hand of friendship and pragmatic ideas for paths forward.
Born into the Civil Rights Movement, author Anthony Walton observed firsthand the opening of opportunity for racial reconciliation. He also saw systemic racism and the vicious backlash against Black progress embodied in the Southern Strategy, Tea Party, and MAGA. Over time, Walton came to believe that moving forward requires a “Third Reconstruction” to accomplish what remains: better health outcomes, secure voting rights, and sustained economic and educational opportunity. Only this approach, he believes, will accomplish what remains unfinished for true African American equality.
Blending social history, bracing analysis, and autobiography, this dazzling collection includes essays published in The New York Times and The Atlantic—including “Willie Horton and Me” and the much-anthologized “Technology vs. African Americans”—as well as new work that probes Walton’s earlier thinking. Throughout, the author delivers insights that wrestle with the hydra-headed, ever-changing realities of an American society in which the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The End of Respectability illuminates recent American history as experienced by a writer who has remained open to hope, unfazed by failures, and unflinchingly dedicated to the truth. This book will leave you changed. And just may incite you to be a part of the change we need.
“Respectability has long been used as a tool for survival in a dominant White society and a source of internal conflict within the Black community. In The End of Respectability, Walton critically examines its role and effectiveness in pursuing equality and authenticity....His use of vivid descriptions and compelling anecdotes keeps readers invested in the story, which is emotionally resonant. He captures the pain, frustration, and hope of negotiating the landmines of Black racial identity. Walton's reflections encourage readers to reconsider their beliefs and assumptions to understand the complexities and contradictions of race in America.”
—Seattle Book Review
“A spirited and informed assessment of American racism beyond headlines and politics.”
—Kirkus
“Anthony Walton is a formidable intellectual who writes with insight, verve, and conviction. I learned much from The End of Respectability, enjoyed reading it, and hope that it attains the visibility it deserves.”
—Randall Kennedy, author of Say It Loud!: On Race, Law, History, and Culture
“Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complications of racism and its effects on political polarization in America today. Anthony Walton is a teller of difficult truths, and you cannot read this book without finding that it has given you new knowledge about your own life.”
—Molly Jong-Fast, Vanity Fair politics writer and host of the podcast Fast Politics
“‘After Obama, America stands revealed to itself,’ Anthony Walton writes with profound disappointment in one of his bleak and bold, truth-telling essays. No Black writer wants to play the role of educating white folks, but Walton writes to be heard by all.”
—Megan Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life
ISBN: 9781567927283
Dimensions: 209mm x 139mm x 25mm
Weight: unknown
300 pages