Reviews

"This book is dangerous for the Negro to read, for it will only incite discontent and fill his imagination with things that do not exist, or things that should not bear upon his mind." ~The Nashville Banner, 1903

nusz11011996's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

3.25

mattrenyard's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Beautiful writing. Reading it gives you some real insight as to the continued racial tensions in the USA today.

liloopie's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

This book is insightful and thought provoking. The book was written around the turn of the 20th century hence some readers may find the writing style challenging. It is disturbing that the issues are still present in the United States. Don’t shy away because the subject is a reflection of our country’s racism and in our inability to reconcile and address it in a mature and respectful way. This book is very much a provocative read.

megryanreally's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

All of Du Bois' insights foreshadow the present state of the South today but this was especially revealing. W.E.B. Du Bois understood then the true issue of the criminal justice system: its origins and design to control slaves and its injustice in lack of consistency in dealings with blacks v whites. The courts then were "a means of reenslaving blacks" and as nothing has changed, we have no choice but as an educated people to reevaluate and question the court's existence as upholding that which it claims to, or justice as a concept made by whites and for whites alone.

More...