Eddie S. Glaude Jr., a professor at Princeton University and author of multiple academic-leaning books about the African-American experience, aims for a more mainstream audience with Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul. This very of-the-moment book is spurred on by the recent spate of police killings of young black men and women, and by the Black Lives Matter movement that developed in response to the killings.
However, Democracy in Black is not a mere commentary on current events. Instead, it provides context for the recent violence and surging activism by examining what Glaude sees as the decay of African-American institutions, the steady erosion of black political power and the failure of black leaders, the persistence of the "Great Black Depression" and the insidious influence of the "value gap." The value gap is perhaps the most important concept in Glaude's book, and forms the basis of his argument that "no matter our stated principles or how much progress we think we've made, the belief that white people are valued more than others continues to hold the center of moral gravity in this country."
Glaude is unafraid to name names and criticize prominent figures within the black community, including but not limited to frequent attacks on President Obama. He also, refreshingly, has some ambitious, specific proposals for how to combat the problems he outlines. Glaude is simultaneously realistic about the state of Black America and idealistic about its future. It's a persuasive, exciting combination. --Hank Stephenson, bookseller, Flyleaf Books