A review by socraticgadfly
The Black History of the White House by Clarence Lusane
3.0
OK, to almost good overall, but nowhere near great.
It's definitely informative on the factual side, with me learning several new details of black history, though none of them was earth-shattering.
There's two main drawbacks.
One, this book at times approaches conservative stereotypes of what "revisionist history" is. Biggest example? The author doesn't even mention Truman's desegregation of the armed forces. And he downplays Lincoln's and LBJ's (especially LBJ's) legitimate civil rights actions.
Second, the book isn't always that "coherent." I don't mean that as far as lack of understandability, but rather, a lack of "flow."
It's definitely informative on the factual side, with me learning several new details of black history, though none of them was earth-shattering.
There's two main drawbacks.
One, this book at times approaches conservative stereotypes of what "revisionist history" is. Biggest example? The author doesn't even mention Truman's desegregation of the armed forces. And he downplays Lincoln's and LBJ's (especially LBJ's) legitimate civil rights actions.
Second, the book isn't always that "coherent." I don't mean that as far as lack of understandability, but rather, a lack of "flow."