Race Matters: Preface – Chapter 4

5 Sentences on the Main Idea

Cornel West writes about race in America, mainly emphasizing African Americans, and the obstructions that are in the way of their race making a difference. West mentions the lack of political leaders in the African American culture, and how they are too worried about pleasing the public, so they do not speak about what they really want to get changed in the political world. West blames part of the race issues on white supremacists, but he also holds the African American people accountable for their own actions. West writes about the term nihilism a lot, and how the African American race has lost hope in their country, and in particular, their race. Race Matters is an interesting, yet disturbing book to read on the African American race.

4 Key Passages

“In fact, the major enemy in black survival in America has been and is neither oppression nor exploitation, but rather the nihilistic threat – that is, loss of hope and absence of meaning.” (p.23)

“A love ethic must be at the center of a politics of conversion. A love ethic has nothing to do with sentimental feelings or tribal connections. Rather it is a last attempt at generating a sense of agency among a downtrodden people.” (p. 29)

“Malcolm, Martin, Ella, and Fannie were angry about the state of black America, and this anger fueled their boldness and defiance. In Stark contrast, most present-day black political leaders appear too hungry for status to be angry, too eager for acceptance to be bold, too self-invested in advancement to be defiant.” (p. 58)

“The present generation has yet to produce such a figure. We have neither an Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., nor a Ronald Dellums. This void sits like a festering sore at the center of the crisis of black leadership-and the predicament of the disadvantaged in the United States and abroad worsens.” (p. 61)

3 Terms

Afrocentrism - regards African Americans and their culture as superior

Nihilism – life without meaning, hope or love

Black authenticity – who is really black?

2 Connections

Although there are many areas that still need change, I liked how Cornel West acknowledges that there has been some racial progress in America. West did not know it when he wrote this book, but there is now an African American president, and that is definitely a major accomplishment for the African American race. Even though everything is not perfect with race in America, there have definitely been some achievements recently.

Cornel West states on page XV, that “black people consume 12 percent of illegal drugs in America yet suffer nearly 70 percent of its convictions!” I thought that was so interesting that African Americans get convicted for such a high percentage, when they did not even commit the crime. When I think of drugs, the image of African Americans often pops into my head, but obviously they are not the race that does the majority of drugs in the United States.

1 Question

West claims that the black leaders today are inadequate in making a difference in politics, so what can be done to change this?