Bill Clinton and Black America [Hardcover]

Dewayne Wickham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2002

While white Americans were evenly divided about Bill Clinton’s impeachment ninety percent of African-Americans opposed it. Now from a founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists comes a groundbreaking new book that explores the deep and unique connection between the former president and the black community–in the words of journalists, celebrities, academics, and other thoughtful Americans.

Going well beyond mere TV punditry, luminaries such as Dr. Mary Frances Berry, Bill Gray, Kweisi Mfume, and Alice Randall, as well as ordinary citizens, offer insight into why African-Americans for the first time saw themselves in the soul of a president–Whether it was the large African-American presence in his administration, his perceived legal persecutions, his personal style, or his lasting yet tumultuous marriage–and why that kinship has sweeping cultural implications. Bill Clinton’s actions, associations, and essence are all analyzed in light of their effect on and appeal to this crucial constituency.

Much-awaited and long overdue, Bill Clinton and Black America features fascinating, provocative interpretations of the special relationship between the black people and this extraordinary man who, when his presidency ended, moved his office from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue–White America’s most famous address–to Harlem’s 125th Street–the heart of Black America.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's fitting that after he left the White House, Bill Clinton moved his office to 125th Street in Harlem--the most famous black district in the country--for African Americans have consistently been the most supportive segment of his constituency. Even during his impeachment and other difficult times, blacks stood with him; on better days, Clinton's approval rating among black Americans was often higher than that of Jesse Jackson. In Bill Clinton and Black America, USA Today reporter DeWayne Wickham conducts a series of interviews with African American politicians, pundits, journalists, activists, entertainers, and educators to explore Clinton's "special bond with blacks" as both governor and president. As these interviews make clear, their love and support goes well beyond mere allegiance to the Democratic Party; in many ways the African American community sees Clinton as one of them. Several of those interviewed even refer to him as the "black president" because he was so receptive to their needs and because he worked to include them in the political process more than any other president.

Reasons cited here for Clinton's popularity among blacks include his poor Southern upbringing and underdog status, the fact that he appointed more blacks to his cabinet and other federal posts than any other president, and good timing (he came into office after three consecutive Republican administrations). But perhaps the biggest factor discussed is the genuine ease with which Clinton relates to black Americans. Blacks trust him to consider their perspective and do not view him as just another white politician who appears only during election years. This is not to say that Clinton always did their bidding; he often disappointed them. But they also shared common enemies and a common outlook that brought them together. He may not be their president any longer, but a majority of blacks still see him as a friend--and now, a neighbor. --Shawn Carkonen

From Publishers Weekly

The first black president: "single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas" was how Nobel Prize-winner Toni Morrison described Bill Clinton. And, indeed, Clinton enjoyed his highest rating with blacks even when his popularity was at its lowest. This collection of short pieces and interviews with Clinton, edited by USA Today columnist Wickham (Woodholme: A Black Man's Story of Growing up Alone), gathers a wide variety of black professionals, politicians and intellectuals addressing the myriad issues on which African-Americans engaged with the president. Terry Edmonds (Clinton's director of speech writing) captures the heart of this relationship in his statement, "for Clinton, black America was never an afterthought." Harvard Medical School psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint was troubled by Clinton's attack on Sister Souljah "for being anti-white," but was still won over by the president's appointments of black judges, cabinet and subcabinet members, and by his attendance at black churches and singing of hymns. The collection is at its best when it mixes personal anecdotes (law professor Mary Frances Berry telling Clinton jokes during a Black History Month dinner) with substantive analysis, as when William H. Gray III of the United Negro College Fund reports on helping Clinton revise his disastrous Haitian refugees policy. While a great deal of the material here states the obvious (actor/producer Tim Reid's statement that "he's given the black people something that no one has given them at this point: hope"), what comes through again and again is the manner in which his black constituency felt well represented by Clinton. (Feb.)Forecast: Clinton's current Harlem base of operations is just one more gesture of solidarity with the African-American community. But with the former president's political role in flux, this book's main audience will be those wanting a walk through the 1990s' White House domestic policy making as well as the African-Americans and many others with cases of Clinton nostalgia.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: One World/Ballantine; 1st edition (January 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345450329
• ISBN-13: 978-0345450326
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,372,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read on an important phenomenon, January 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Bill Clinton and Black America (Hardcover)

Everybody will remember that in the 1990s, people of all races deemed Bill Clinton "the first Black president." Finally, there is a book analyzing how this honorary status came about. Sometimes, I am not too impressed when journalists write whole books. (Example: Ellis Cose's oeuvre.) But Wickham really did his homework and gives a historical look at presidents and their reaction to black citizens. This book also includes an interview with Bill himself. The majority of the book consists of comments from famous, often political, blacks on this labeling. Sometimes, the comments illustrate the genius of the commentators more than they do Bill. Still, after you have read a few, there becomes little need to read every single one. This book does have a scrapbook feel that somewhat disappoints me. Nevertheless, until we actually get a president of African descent, I think readers should grab this book and think deeply about our cherished Bill Clinton.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Opinion, January 26, 2004

By 

J. A. Carroll "juanthomcar" (Franklin Park, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bill Clinton and Black America (Hardcover)

The first time I knew I'd made a wise choice by voting for Bill Clinton was while viewing news footage taken of him the first few days he took office for his first term. He was walking with some aides around the White House and two elderly African American women waved and smiled to him. He walked over to them and began talking. Just then an aide stepped between Clinton and the two women with his back to the two elderly women. Clinton became furious and part of what he said to the aide had to be bleeped out to be shown on television. The footage was meant to show the temper of a new president. What I saw was a president rightfully ticked at a staff member for disrespecting two elderly African Americans. I remember thinking "d**n, Clinton gets it". To better understand why black america loves Clinton (besides hiring more blacks in his cabinet than any other president, balancing the budget and starting and supporting job and education programs), I would recommend that you read "Invisible Man". With Clinton, for a change, we weren't invisible, we mattered and weren't taken for granted. He didn't say dumb things like "It is a terrible thing to lose one's mind" at a United Negro College Fund function or assume that welfare benefit increases was an important issue to African Americans (we work!). He had a respect for the history and the people that had never been seen before or perhaps since ( I once saw him unexpectedly be asked to recite the Negro National Anthem. He recited the first two verses without struggle and then sang the THIRD!). For the first time, I had a feeling of safety. So, in a sense, he was "more black" than Clarence Thomas who climbed up the ladder of opportunity built by many black heroes and continues to block the climbing of it to young African Americans today by tearing down Affirmative Action laws. To the reviewer who had the nerve to make suggestions on what African Americans I should admire ("Thomas and Rice"), I'd thank you to mind your own business. How dare you? Do you have a clue about the black experience in America? I think not. I love this book because it's a reminder that even if I don't see another great president like Bill Clinton in my lifetime, I at least got to see one. And for that I am truly thankful.

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "A Race Man In the White House, February 17, 2002

By 

John C. White (Columbia, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bill Clinton and Black America (Hardcover)

Before reading interviews of various folk who comment on te love affair between former President Bill Clinton and black America, I suggest first reading the two chapters near the end of the book, "A Race Man in the White House" and "A Drum Major for Change." In these two chapters, Wickham puts his finger on a simple but important fact about Clinton when he writes that rather then distance himself from the black community he made an effort to bring the races together and "he tried harder than any other president to make race less of a factor in our lives.

Moreover, Wickham writes: "What impresses me about Bill Clinton is that he does not view black skin as a 'disagreeable mirror.' More to the point, he has shown a greater willingness than any other president to look African Amercans in the eye not with condescension, as Lew Payne points out, but with an uncommon sense of fairness."

In his 310-page book, Wickham makes it clear that Clinton did not use magic to woe black America. He appointed an unprecedented number of African Americans to top jobs in his administration and he tackled America's racial problems head on. And while the Republicans attacked affirmative action, Clinton promoted a "One America" initiative to help build a bridge of understanding between whites and blacks.

The book is loaded with interviews with a cross-section of black America. Over and over again, the same theme is sounded: Bill Clinton was well liked because he made the connection that other presidents ignored. Clinton made the connection that past president did not make because of racism or ignorance.

Wickham has weaved together a number of interesting interviews of African Americans of different walks of life in a way that make this book easy reading. I recommend this book to all students of history and those who want racial progress.