Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me” is a thought-provoking book examining racial injustices in America. The book weaves together Coates’ personal experience and his intellectual reflections on how racism impacts both society and individuals.
Coates’ begins the book by discussing his childhood in inner city Baltimore. He reflects on the familiar sights, smells and feels of the city and how this setting shaped his experience as a black youth in a oppressive culture. Coates’ recounts being mugged at gunpoint and the brutality of Baltimore’s police force. His reflections provide a vivid avocation of how minorities experience racism on a daily basis and the emotional toll this takes.
He progresses to a more abstract discussion about racism in America by discussing the history of white violence against black Americans, particularly during slavery and the Jim Crow era. Coates’ eloquently documents the fact that racism was not only the law of the land and widely practiced but that it was deliberately enacted through state-sponsored and societal terror. Coates provide compelling evidence of the brutality and unfairness of the American system. Furthermore, he notes how the legacy of racism continues to linger and shape the lives of black Americans.
Coates also examines how modern structures of racism remain pervasive in a white-dominant society. He highlights the disproportionate impact of racial disparities, particularly economic disparities, faced by black Americans. Coates’ research exposes stark inequalities in many aspects of life such as unequal access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities. He laments the fact that in modern America, the system fails to provide equal rights and opportunities for all citizens, leading to a bleak future for black Americans.
Coates also offers a solution to thwart racism in America. He calls for a complete re-structuring of American society. Coates views this effort as one to replace the racist systems and power dynamics of the past. Coates’ vision includes placing the responsibility of solving this issue on the government, institutions, and majority groups in America—ultimately creating an environment of racial equity, in which a person’s skin color does not determine their life outcomes.
Coates’ “Between the World and Me” serves as a powerful and sobering memoir examining the injustices of racism in America. The book is at times difficult to read—Coates’ recounts personal and historical struggles in vivid detail. However, this work serves as an important reminder of the oppressive systems that exist in American society and how far we still have to go for true racial equity. It is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding racism and its consequences in modern-day America.
