This is a staggering text. First published in 1983, it is horribly upsetting to read the statistics and continue to mutter “it’s worse now… it’s worse now…” Rightfully so, Professor Marable conveyed a sense of foreboding for future decades as he sees Reaganomics cresting. But it’s not just a shock read. Marable wrote an updated introduction reflecting and even criticizing some of his writing style in ‘83 (mad respect for an academic to be candid about shortcomings). He also continually reminds readers that total and complete break from white supremacist structures is the only way to go into the future. I felt furious reading this but weirdly, not hopeless. Socialism, baby!