Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now [Hardcover]

Touré (Author), Michael Eric Dyson (Foreword)

Book Description

Release date: September 13, 2011

In the age of Obama, racial attitudes have become more complicated and nuanced than ever before. Inspired by a president who is unlike any Black man ever seen on our national stage, we are searching for new ways of understanding Blackness. In this provocative new book, iconic commentator and journalist TourÉ tackles what it means to be Black in America today.

TourÉ begins by examining the concept of “Post-Blackness,” a term that defines artists who are proud to be Black but don't want to be limited by identity politics and boxed in by race. He soon discovers that the desire to be rooted in but not constrained by Blackness is everywhere. In Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? he argues that Blackness is infinite, that any identity imaginable is Black, and that all expressions of Blackness are legitimate.

Here, TourÉ divulges intimate, funny, and painful stories of how race and racial expectations have shaped his life and explores how the concept of Post-Blackness functions in politics, society, psychology, art, culture, and more. He knew he could not tackle this topic all on his own so he turned to 105 of the most important luminaries of our time for frank and thought-provoking opinions, including the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Cornel West, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Michael Eric Dyson, Melissa Harris-Perry, Harold Ford Jr., Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Glenn Ligon, Paul Mooney, New York Governor David Paterson, Greg Tate, Aaron McGruder, Soledad O'Brien, Kamala Harris, Chuck D, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and many others.

 

By engaging this brilliant, eclectic group, and employing his signature insight, courage, and wit, TourÉ delivers a clarion call on race in America and how we can change our perceptions for a better future. Destroying the notion that there is a correct way of being Black, Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? will change how we perceive race forever.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“One of the most acutely observed accounts of what it is like to be young, black and middle-class in America. Toure inventively draws on a range of evidence . . . for a performance carried through with unsparing honesty, in a distinctive voice that is often humorous, occasionally wary and defensive, but always intensely engaging.”

—Orlando Patterson, New York Times Book Review

“[T]he ever provocative TourÉ boldly articulates the complicated issues of self and racial identity in the age of Obama.”

—Vanity Fair

"A welcome response to the 'self-appointed identity cops' who would arrest and banish those they consider insufficiently black. Perceptively analyze[s] a new sensibility in black art and culture to illustrate the complex and fluid racial identification TourÉ dubs 'post-blackness.' "

—San Francisco Chronicle

“This book is quintessential TourÉ: smart, funny, irreverent, and provocative as hell. Rejecting old school racial dogma and new school myths about post-raciality, he offers a powerful and original thesis on the status of Blackness in the 21st century. Through his sharp analysis and honest reflections, TourÉ challenges us to embrace a more mature, sophisticated, and ultimately liberating notion of racial identity. Any serious conversation on race and culture must begin with this book.”

—Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, Columbia University Professor and host of “Our World With Black Enterprise”

“Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness is a necessary book. To fulfill your potential as an individual or as a people, you need a clear sense of self. TourÉ has done the difficult but liberating work of moving the discussion of race beyond the Black Power-era thinking of the 1970's into the 21st Century.”

— Reggie Hudlin, filmmaker

“TourÉ candidly tackles a burning issue confronting us today. Black America is undeniably a community 'free, but not equal,' and people from all walks of life are compelled to devise new approaches to confronting today's structural inequalities. Here TourÉ explores insights from many perspectives to help guide the way.”

—Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

“A fascinating conversation among some of America’s most brilliant and insightful Black thinkers candidly exploring Black identity in America today. TourÉ powerfully captures the pain and dissonance of Black Americans’ far too often unrequited love for our great nation.”

—Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP

“Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness is a tour de force! I applaud TourÉ’s courage in standing up and telling it like it is. This special book will make you think, laugh, cry—and it will make you look at race and at yourself differently.”

—Amy DuBois Barnett, Editor-in-Chief, Ebony

“TourÉ has taken a question I have asked myself uncountable times over the course of my life and asked it of everyone: ‘What does it mean to be Black?’ The answers in this book are thought-provoking, uplifting, hilarious and sometimes sad. His sharp writing and self-effacing stories help digest some hard facts about how identity can be used for and against each of us – and why it matters so much to all of us.”

—Soledad O’Brien, CNN anchor and special correspondent

“TourÉ is one of my favorite writers. I’ve watched him grow and mature into the thinking man's writer for the new era. Extremely observant on class and culture, this book is a must-have guide from one of the few remaining minds with the courage to tell the truth about America's beautiful stain.”

—Questlove, from the Roots --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Touré is a co-host of MSNBC’s The Cycle and a columnist for Time.com. He is the author of four books, including Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness?, a New York Times and Washington Post notable book. He lives in Brooklyn.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; First Edition edition (September 13, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439177554
• ISBN-13: 978-1439177556
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 6.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 64 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it in Three Day. . .Spot on!!! September 19, 2011

By Kristie L. Hayes

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My insomnia prevented my sleeping for three straight days but luckily the book came out right before I did so it gave me the chance to devour it. As a biracial person, I learned quickly that I was not Black enough for some blacks and decided I did not care...I thought everything that Toure said was spot on. And I have personally experienced some similar things in my life so I could relate a lot to the book.

Being black is not about how you talk, how you dress or what music you listen to. I think that many who are upset about Toure saying there are no barriers for Blacks in being who they want to be would be the first to march if some law were passed that create a barrier for Blacks...all Toure is doing is telling Blacks they can reach their potential...what is wrong with that? You're still Black if you are a classical pianist, chemist, plumber, etc. but you get to choose the destiny of your life.

I really like Roland Martin's commentary about how some Blacks want other Blacks to adopt negative characteristics to "keep it real." It makes me sad but reminds me of an experience my younger brother had in high school. A girl in his class who was Black in the middle of class sitting across the room asked him if he was half White and he said "yes" and she said something to the effect of "I knew you were because you were so smart?"...what the hell? That is so embarrassing that she could even say that so out in the open in a high school classroom.

I also liked Toure's discussion on Africa....we think that it's this utopia where all Africans see each other as brothers and sister....I wish he could have talked about all the different clans in Africa. I know people from Africa and they can differentiate members of their clan from those who are not and I can only imagine that there was conflict long before European invasion and colonization. But I am sure that could be a separate book. Where there are humans, there is conflict.

And to some Whites who may be offended by what Toure says, don't. He is presenting a psyche (in my opinion) that has been passed down from generation to generation. Even though my parents are an interracial couple which takes a lot of open mindedness, my dad has some of these ideas and thoughts, i.e. "Blacks don't (fill in the blank)." It's ridiculous and while I understand racism exists, there will always be those who discriminate against others and while it makes it harder to achieve your dream, it is not impossible and the amount of melanin in your skin should never put a damper on your desires.

On a side note, I appreciate Toure discussing his journey to becoming a writer as I am on that road and thanks for writing about my favorite artist...Tori Amos:)

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Although It Contains Some Inconsistencies October 12, 2011

By Jarrod Jenkins

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great book. I don't think Toure broke any new ground in this book. Rather, he provided comfort to those who think like him. A coming-out party if you will. All too often, Blacks who do not think or act "Black" (whatever that means) find themselves persecuted by their own race.

The biggest issue that I have is the chapter on how to have more Pres. Obamas. Toure sets the book up to say that it's okay to be post-Black. Indeed, he encourages people to be who they are not conform to any type of societal expectation. However, he says -- and I agree -- that President Obama's complexion helped him get elected. This, of course, begs the question how are we supposed to raise more President Obamas if skin complexion is immutable? Also, he says -- and again I agree -- that President Obama would not have been elected if he had a White wife. This flies in the face of his it's-okay-to-be-post-Black theory because if it truly were okay, one would not have to choose between marrying someone and running for President. This is the type of confined thinking that the book was intended to thwart.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Toure manifest and validates our experiences January 16, 2012

By Terry Teacher

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Subsequent to reading this epic piece I ordered a second book for my 25-year-old `King's English' speaking son who has never lived a day in his life in poverty. My son attended schools- high school and college - with fewer than 5% of people that looked like him (I often felt guilty for that); as opposed to his over 50 year old mother, who lived most of my days in `the projects' and actually remembers the `government cheese and peanut butter'. I must admit I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions as I read this book; mostly positive and elated that Toure so effectively and eloquently hit the nail on the head when manifesting our narrative. I had a visceral reaction to the way he brilliantly refers to and lays out the Black `shield' that we must construct and how it gets strengthened (or not) as we navigate our system. I want my son to read it because I think he will be able to relate to it on a lot of levels. Being able to apply language to our collective experiences gives them power and somewhat normalizes them. I want my son to be aware of this language because he's at the height of reinforcing his shield.

On the other hand, in my opinion, Toure kind of blames the victim towards the end of his piece when he refers to how a lot of Black people, in affect, rebuke the system which leads to our rejection for employment and becoming high level executives. I'm not sure I fully agree when he refers to how a lot of Black people set themselves up to experience a self-fulfilling prophecy. I think it's unfair to juxtapose my son with my brother, for example, who grew up in poverty with a system that did not embrace him as a Black man with few to nil resources who was constantly reminded of his worth (or lack of it). He had a high school degree and I watched him struggle and try to get jobs, get close and then see the job go to a white person. During my varied professional career I've worked for the IBMs, Procter & Gambles and the like and, even thought they did let a few Black men through, I observed how a Black man was not valued no matter how hard he tried. Also, as an elementary school teacher I witnessed first hand how acting-out little white boys were labeled `mischievous' while unchallenged, brilliant and creative little black boys that acted out were perceived and labeled as hoodlums or `truant'. In my current field as a social worker my heart breaks every time I counsel downtrodden Black men that this system has treaded on to the point where they have given up. No one can deny the white privilege along with the structural and systematic racism; though more subtle and maybe less often, but still prevalent in our system. I think this applies even more to the `abandoned' category of Blacks that Eugene Robinson's refers to in his book. His description of the abandoned: "with less hope of escaping poverty and dysfunction than at any time since Reconstruction".
Finally, one term that resonated with me in the final chapter is the term `post whiteness' which may be more apropos in the near future.