Where do I begin when reviewing We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates? I don't think... actually... I know I don't have the words to express how impressive this collection of articles is. I'm reminded of Zoolander 2 when Zoolander says he literally does not have the vocabulary to respond. I am in that moment. For those thinking what an idiot I am for throwing Zoolander into a review of Coates, who is a stunning writer, is absolutely correct. So...
For those familiar with Ta-Nahisi Coates are reintroduced to the ideas or experiences he had before writing said article during the eight years of Obama's presidency. For the rest of us, you need to read this and become acquainted with his brilliance. I put myself in the "rest of us" category because I was unaware he existed. In hindsight, I feel like I deprived myself for many years so it's imperative that I right this wrong and absorb all the Coates I can.
Allow me to digress in explaining how I've come to this place of awe with all things Coates. I recently decided to go back to school for receipts. Receipts are degrees. I bought into the idea that if you work hard you'll get somewhere but I burned out of working hard after spending two years clocking out of one job to clock into another. Looking back on what was my life six months ago, I wanted to prove the Facebook commenters wrong when describing the black community or underpaid workforce. I was making a 32,000 a year and struggling (even while living in my mother's home... with no children) so I figured I'd take on another gig and I started making closer to 46,000 a year. But... I began to see a flaw in this working hard BS that everyone claims is the path to the American Dream, this key to prosperity, this machine that disenfranchised many, and convinced others that they don't work hard enough therefore they don't deserve a living wage.
With much trepidation and fear of losing my car, I stepped out on faith and hope that if I finally finished school I'd have the degrees proper tools to make it in this world. Plus, I had dropped out of college twice before. It was time to finish what I started.
Now, let's get to how I was introduced to Coates. Well, I was given an assignment in my Sociology class to read The Case for Reparations and was even quizzed on it. After reading Coates Atlantic article I was pissed. I mean mad as hell. For the last 3 years I've been gainfully employed with a company that I really love. The work I do is no longer customer service focused and allows my work to be noticed by the president of the company. Yes, the company is small but I love it. I loved all of it except this overwhelming sense that I needed to be careful. There are only 4 people of color in this 200+ company and I've never been more aware of my "blackness" than at this company. I mean... I grew up in Evanston, IL where diversity is golden. A sort of Utopia I allowed to blind me to the truths of the real world. The truth is that racism exists in all its glory to this day even after having a black president. It just isn't always overt. The Case for Reparationsproved this by giving a face to the red-lining practices of the 60s to present and because I'm a victim, I compared my situation to this article. I worked hard and tried to be better than the rest. I bit my tongue when something wasn't right... yet... the white people around me were receiving recognition for doing their jobs.
I've digressed some. My point is this, Coates wrote this article and referenced a man who'd worked hard and was still treated as a second class citizen that outsiders looking in would suggest he didn't work hard enough. To the contrary. He worked super hard, procured a home mortgage, tried to play the game and was still counted out. No it doesn't discourage me from getting my receipts, but it does make me relate to the people in the black community who feel no matter what or how they behave, it will not change the way America's racism is ingrained so far in its fabric, there is probably no way to unravel this thread... ever.
Either way, I decided to read more of his work. Most recently I read The First White President article after seeing him speak at my high school Evanston Township, and witnessed his brilliance first-hand. After writing brilliance I have to kinda fall back a moment. This collection of articles and the prelude to them are brilliantly written, no doubt. He's rightfully been compared to James Baldwin and others of his magnitude when relaying the subject of race and their relations. Yet, his brilliance is based on a life full of first-hand knowledge.
Yikes...I've super digressed. Suffice it to say, I could actually write a more traditional review and highlight or quote Coates but seriously, I don't think there was one page that didn't get highlighted. I understand and felt a lot of the frustration he expounded in the writings that provide insight to the article's purpose or reasoning behind it.
Ultimately, I loved We Were Eight Years in Power. I even enjoyed rereading the few articles I'd already read on The Atlantic's website. There's really no way to review this work except to encourage someone, anyone who feels they're tired of hearing the woe-is-me that they liken to the black experience, or those who feel no one else is aware of the struggle that faces being black in America really is. This collection is for you. To open the eyes of the naysayers and to encourage the downtrodden. *****
Copy provided by Random House Publishing via Netgalley
No comments:
Post a Comment