Self Contempt:
A Search for the Identity of Black America
by
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Chapter 1, 'Pre-emptive Exposure' provides a history of the author's initial childhood exposure to racism in both the black urban and white suburban communities, and the many influential childhood experiences which helped to shape his impressions and analysis of race relations and the black racial image.
Chapter 2, 'Transfixing the Stream' deals with the personal and racial challenges involved in a successful transition from the debilitating atmosphere of black urban communities into the mainstream of American society itself, from an educational and work force perspective.
Chapter 3, 'Apathetic Imagism' is a cursory analysis of the ominous characteristics of the black urban community which have contributed to the apprehension and negative impressions which mainstream white America have developed toward blacks.
Chapter 4, 'Urban Rage' deals with the longstanding contentious and dysfunctional relationship between police agencies and the black community which has prevented the two entities from working together to suppress the black crime wave consuming these communities. As a result, crime and juvenile delinquency has become so disturbingly common in black inner city communities that most of mainstream society has come to instinctively associate a synonymous relationship between blacks and crime, which has in turn resulted in an atmosphere of indifference within mainstream america towards incidents of excessive force by police.
Chapter 5, 'The Color of Justice' is an overview of the manner in which the American Justice System deals with blacks from the conspicuous relationship between police and prosecutors, the quality of legal representation afforded to most blacks, as well as jury and judicial prejudice in sentencing and death penalty verdicts against black defendants.
Chapter 6, 'Fade to Black...' addresses the history of blacks in entertainment and the influence that negative black stereotypes in film, television and black standup comedy has had on the black social image. Additionally, a detailed analysis of how 'Hip Hop' and 'Gangsta Rap' music has essentially destroyed conventional rhythm & blues and soul music concepts, and helped drastically demonize the image of the black urban community, and severely influenced black youths to celebrate the most negative aspects of the black urban experience. The criminal history/background of some of the most popular rap artists is also detailed.
Chapter 7, 'Political Genocide' analyzes the history of blacks in the American democratic system, including the influence of black radical organizations on the political consciousness of the black community. Since the passing of Martin Luther King Jr., approximately 30 years ago, the effectiveness of black leadership overall has been summarily undermined by a splintering of support within the black community between the black church, black radicals, black politicians and civil rights organizations. With few exception, these entities have consistently failed to solidify their collective influence over black America toward accomplishing the type of 'unification of action' necessary to expedite a change in the political climate of black America.
Chapter 8, 'Judicial Contempt': 'The Clarence Thomas Chronicles' discusses the conspicuous circumstances surrounding his appointment to the US Supreme Court, including his strong support from the black community, and the adverse effects his judicial rulings have had on the Constitutional freedoms of blacks, women and other minorities since his appointment.
Chapter 9, 'Generations' is an in depth look at the etiologies of the black family breakdown within urban communities, and the familial, criminal, and economic influences are also discussed. The results: almost 70% of black families are female single parent households, almost two-thirds of black births are out of wedlock, poor child discipline, sub optimal scholastic performance, a low moral value system have destroyed the self-motivation of black children. All of which has evolved into a vicious cycle of generational redundancy dooming future generations of black families and children to the same fate.
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About the Book
This book is a nine chapter detailed analysis of the longstanding misanthropical social, political and racial identity of black America, and the significant contributions which black America itself has made to this infamous racial image through a long history of subversive social and immoral behavior, and essential political abstinence. Virtually all aspects of the black urban experience in education, employment, crime, the criminal justice system, politics, entertainment, and the black family breakdown, are analyzed in an effort to identify the fundamental internal etiologies of the negative black racial image, and the resultant effect on race relations in America. An image which unfortunately the majority of urban blacks themselves have helped to create. Included in the book, in respective chapters, will be a detailed assessment of the controversial black urban perspective on high profile race related events and public figures including the O.J. Simpson trial, Rodney King, Justice Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill, as well as Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, and other black radical organizations, events and issues, and their influence on race relations and the complex racial fabric of this country.
About the Author
As a 47 year old Afro-American author, this book represents my first attempt to chronicle the ominous history of the black racial image in America. I have written articles and editorial works on racial/social political commentary, an excerpt of one being published by the Los Angeles Times in December 1996. Obviously, as a black American writer, my rather critical assessment of the black urban community will be deemed highly controversial by black Americans. However, my many first hand experiences emanating from an extensive childhood exposure to both the black urban and white suburban social and educational environments, super-imposed upon an educational background in the social sciences has provided me with a rather unique perspective and insight into the highly sensitive issue of race relations in this country. In addition to considerable literary and statistical research in preparation for this book the views, observations and opinions expressed are also based upon numerous in depth conversations and interviews with many black, white, Jewish, Hispanic and Asian Americans regarding their own personal experiences and perceptions of the black racial image. I think the reader will find that all of this research has lead to some very interesting and controversial realizations and conclusions about the past and present black American identity as well as future ramifications. -N.M. Brown