White Rage

White Rage by Carol Anderson is an essential and compelling narrative that traces the persistent and destructive forces of white backlash against African American progress in the United States. Instead of focusing solely on the visible and violent eruptions commonly referred to as "black rage," Anderson meticulously unveils the less visible but equally potent forces of "white rage" that have systematically mitigated African American advancements since the end of the Civil War. This meticulously researched chronicle sheds light on the powerful and deliberate actions taken to undermine black progress and equality.

Drawing a sweeping arc from the Civil War to our current, highly charged socio-political landscape, Anderson recontextualises familiar historical events, providing a sharp and insightful analysis of how each step towards African American empowerment was promptly met with strategic and oppressive resistance. She begins with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, describing how the end of slavery was countered by the enactment of Black Codes and the establishment of Jim Crow laws.

Continuing through the mid-20th century, Anderson recounts how the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954 incited a backlash where public schools in the South were closed and segregated white private schools were funded by taxpayer dollars. She further examines the Civil Rights Movement's legislative victories—namely the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965—and how these strides were met with the Southern Strategy and the War on Drugs, policies that disenfranchised millions of African Americans and facilitated the rise of Presidents Nixon and Reagan.

Anderson also explores the reaction to the election of Barack Obama, America's first black president, revealing the intensification of white rage. Each historical flashpoint is meticulously linked, illustrating the ongoing, deliberate orchestration of white opposition against black progress. She peels back the layers on actions framed as upholding democracy, fiscal responsibility, or safeguarding against fraud, revealing them as calculated measures to maintain racial hierarchies.

Winning the National Book Critics Circle Award and becoming a New York Times Bestseller, White Rage is not just an outstanding piece of historical scholarship but a critical tool for understanding the deep and persistent roots of racial inequality in America. Its dramatic recounting of unimpeachable history not only reframes our understanding of racial dynamics but also adds a crucial dimension to the ongoing national conversation about race. Carol Anderson's work illuminates the concealed, relentless nature of white rage, providing an indispensable perspective on America's racial history and its present-day implications.