Why Are They Angry with Us?

Book excerpt: Now, more than at any time since the 1960s, issues about race have taken center stage in America. From the killing of young black boys, to the travesty of mass incarceration, America is every day presented with evidence that the struggle for equality and justice is far from over. This book responds to many of the timely, sensitive, and often uncomfortable conversations that are taking place on our television screens, the front page of newspapers, on Twitter, and in homes around the country. Why Are They Angry With Us? attempts to resolve the questions and conflicts about race in America that have plagued our country from the days of Jim Crow, through the battle for civil rights, and remain with us today. The author's personal journey and his professional scholarship have lead him to an understanding of our collective history. This collection of eight essays relates racial incidents and observations to address the deep misunderstandings our country holds about race and attempt to explain the workings of race and racism in America. These essays attack the core of many commonly held attitudes which contribute to racism in America.