White Guilt: How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: invisibility rage, white obligation, global racism, Great Society, Dick Gregory, President Clinton (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Speaking the language of moralism, individual freedom and responsibility, contrarian cultural critic Steele builds on ideas he earlier articulated in his National Book Critics Circle Award–winner The Content of Our Character (1990). Today's problem, Steele forcefully argues, is not black oppression, but white guilt, a loose term that encompasses both an attempt by whites to regain the moral authority they lost after the Civil Rights Movement, and black contempt toward "Uncle Tom" complicity with white hegemony, resulting in a shirking of personal accountability. Steele makes a passionate case against the "Faustian bargain" he perceives on the left: "we'll throw you a bone like affirmative action if you'll just let us reduce you to your race so we can take moral authority for 'helping' you." But progressive readers will object to his assertion that systemic racism is a thing of the past—and to his praise of the Bush administration's philosophy on poverty, education and race. Though Steele takes a hard, critical look at affirmative action, self-serving white liberals and self-victimizing black leaders, he stops short of offering real-world solutions. (May)
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From Booklist

Steele asserts that the primary focus of the civil-rights era was a legitimate quest to remove racial barriers. In the shift to the black-power era, Steele sees a paradigm shift, away from racial uplift and agency, where blacks assume responsibility for themselves, to a "race is destiny" mode. As the counterculture merged with the civil-rights movement, America was exposed for its racial hypocrisy and, consequently, lost its moral authority. Here, "white guilt" became the moral framework for America. Steele argues that liberal whites embraced guilt for two reasons: to avoid being seen as racists and to embrace a vantage point where they could mete out benefits to disadvantaged blacks through programs such as affirmative action. Steele believes blacks made a deal with the devil by exchanging responsibility and control over their destiny for handouts. He sees a deficiency in black middle-class educational achievement, further raising questions about claims of lack of equal opportunity. Despite these omissions, the cultural analysis of America's loss of moral authority for its exposed racism has resonance today. Vernon Ford
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060578629
• ISBN-13: 978-0060578626
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #206,062 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

165 of 177 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Racism old and new., May 12, 2006

By	lighten_up_already2 "lighten_up_already2" (Kirkland, WA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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This book attracted my interest because I've experienced first hand some of the "white guilt" motivated attempts to fix racial inequality.

I attended a middle school during the 1970's right at the start of forced bussing to acheive racial desegregation. Some brilliant social engineers thought that if they bussed black children many miles from home whether they wanted to be bussed or not, dumped them at schools in white neighborhoods, and then eliminated grades and went lax on discipline, then that would solve some problem of inequality between black and white students.

Well, what it accomplished for me was a shock when I arrived at high-school and discovered that not only were letter grades the norm (I hadn't seen them for three years) but they accumulated into this dreadful number called a "GPA" which had a profound impact on this concept known as your "future"! In other words, baby sitting was over and now I actually had to work or face the consequences!

But enough about me. I enjoyed this book and gave my rating for the following reasons:

1. It's short and to the point. The author tells us what we need to know and skillfully encapsulates pivotal events that occured during a short period of time and which lead us into the reality we face today. I love books like that.

2. The author establishes his credibility by weaving a narrative of his life with the development of his thesis. This isn't a book that was written by a person who just read a lot of books in order to write a book.

3. Accessable writing style. It's like the author is sitting across the table having coffee with you and telling you a story. Shelby Steele comes across as a man of unusual wisdom. It would be great to see him in person some day.

4. This book tells a truth that is in line with my personal life experience. Racism has never gone away. Somewhere back in the 1960's it morphed from one form to another. From "old school" racism that consisted of segregating blacks and making them responsible for themselves while denying them access to jobs, loans, etc. to "white guilt" motivated racism which consists of rigging outcomes to be equal by lowering standards for blacks. This is all just fine with guilty white liberals as long as they can claim moral authority in return for providing the equal result for the blacks they've lowered standards for.

Anyway, this is a short and well written book that'll perhaps make you think of things in a way you never have before. Five stars!

158 of 172 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go out and buy it right Away., May 4, 2006

By	DRoberts (Al) - See all my reviews

I read this book after reading his article in the Wall Street Journal. I enjoyed his idea of America fighting a minimilistic war so that we were not perceived as tyrannical or racist. This definately explains why we have not just "wiped out" the terrorist.

I felt that I had to read the book since I am from the Civil Rights Capitol of the country. Many of these issues are pertinent throughout the country and need to be studied. His issues are hard-hitting and uncomforting at times.

Dr. Steele explains that Americans do not take African Americans at face value, but as a means to an end. He says this because Liberals have used programs like affirmative action and welfare as a way to help blacks and look noble while doing it. Dr. Steele feels that these programs were started so the Whites did not look racist and tolerant of White Supremacy; however, under the surface he feels that the Black man is never able to advance after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He explains that many Great Society programs were created because Whites felt guilty for the wrongdoing of Blacks. He states the programs were a way to help Whites deal with their moral guilt. Dr. Steele does an excellent job stating the reasons that have caused racial segregation even in today's time. The book does not really offer ways to improve what is happening in America, yet it does bring the issues to the surface. He also throws in the term "New Man" that does an excellent job of explaining the ways of Liberal Democrats.

I got chills several times because someone other than Bill Cosby stated the obvious. This is not a book to better one race over the other, but a way to make America the great country that it is supposed to be. There need to be more Americans like Dr. Steele. If you do not want to read the whole book, then just read the last chapter because it is amazing and the best chapter of the book. This book has to be read because the content is so powerful.

49 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good analysis of the results of 40+ years of government help, May 10, 2006

By	William A. Hensler (Holt, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book and the writer remind me of Bill Cosby. Why? When Bill Cosby speaks from the heart you just can't help but agree with him. What Bill Cosby says is just all common sense. And this book reminds me of Dr. Cosby. The sheer words of common sense will bring relief to the average reader.

This review has read what Mr. Steele wrote and could not agree more with his writings. Indeed, once in a while this reviewer gets heart sick at seeing how "the tyranny of good intentions" can end up hurting people that it is meant to help.

I used to work for the Columbus, Ohio school system. Like most intercity school systems it's wretched. Do minority children have a choice? No, this school system is all the families can afford. If vouchers were allowed do you think most parents would not pull their children out of the poor public schools? They would do it in a minute. Would black activists ever speak out against the wretched public school systems that give African Americans a second rate education? No. Then white liberals compound the problem by limiting the opportunity that African Americans have. The white liberals with guilt can't see the real problem affecting blacks, the poor education system. The black activists have no reason to change the public education system; their children generally attend private schools and they are removed from the problem.

Mr. Steele makes very serious arguments that white liberal inspired programs do serious damage to African Americans over the long runs. It's a simple argument. The analogy is like this. If you outlaw play grounds for children then you'll have fat kids. It's simple cause and effect. Mr. Steele shows the effects of over 40 years of American white guilt. The truth of the matter is there are more African American children living in poverty and in single parent homes than ever before. American white liberal guilt helped established the governmental system for the break up of the traditional African American families. Remember the most scary thing you can ever hear, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Mr. Steele gives an excellent analysis of the present problems effecting white and black Americans. I hope his solutions are taken seriously.

All Amazon.com readers should consider making this book part of their reading for this spring. It's a rare 5 star book on race relations. Remember, an Irish proverb is "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." White guilt has resulted in all sorts of good intentioned programs for African-Americans. However, the results of those programs have been documented in this book.

I give this book five stars. If it can help readers understand the present problem in our culture it's well worth it.