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Who's Afraid Of Post-Blackness?: What It Means To Be Black Now (2011)

by Touré(Favorite Author)

3.76 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1439177554 (ISBN13: 9781439177556)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Atria Books

review 1: I instantly felt that this book was for me when it was dedicated to "everyone who was ever made to feel 'not black enough.' Whatever that means." Here he discusses what post-blackness is through talking about black art world where the term originated and discussing the works of artist who are post-black, to a discussion of Dave Chapelle, to the interviews of various prominent African Americans where they shared the most racist thing that ever happened to them (the various ages and generations show how racism has changed over the years), to discussions on colorism, to Toure's years growing up towing the line of what is acceptable blackness and what's not. This is a great, well written and thorough book on post-blackness and the phenomena of "acting wh... moreite".
review 2: Toure is extremely modest. Early in this book, he discounts himself to be something less than a scholar. The notion is a gross understatement, as he's written a powerful piece of scholarly work that can be very helpful in helping Black America reassess and overcome its relationship with American society. There is both conviction and validation to be found in the book, as the work recognizes the extreme and manufactured variety of Blackness as a justifiable reaction to the historically volatile state of race relations in America; however, the work also shines light on the stagnancy created by Black America's inability to move on from that same extreme defensive posturing or exaggerated, stereotypical Blackness. Indirectly, Toure shows how Black America has actually adopted and adapted mechanisms, such as white gaze, and effectively -- though unintentionally -- prolonged its own awkward position in America. While the title can easily lead to the assumption that the book promotes the idea that we are now in a post-Race society, it does the opposite by clearly acknowledging that we are still struggling toward that mark, and by offering and alternative fuel and route for arriving at a post-Race America sooner than later. less

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