Begin Again

More about the book

Eddie S. Glaude Jr. examines our current moment, marked by the Black Lives Matter movement and the election of Donald Trump, which he views as a failure to confront America's racial lies. Trump's presidency, characterized by events like Charlottesville and child separation policies, represents a retreat from the ideals of Obama's administration and a denial of the vision that all lives matter equally. This struggle echoes the past, particularly for James Baldwin, who faced similar challenges after the civil rights movement. Baldwin's response to the violence against figures like Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. was to become a more politically engaged writer, despite the personal and professional costs. Through Baldwin's journey, Glaude finds a source of hope and guidance for navigating our own disillusionment in this era of broken promises and white supremacy. Blending biography, history, memoir, and sharp analysis, Glaude's work serves as a witness to the ongoing complexities of race in America. It is a profound exploration of race, trauma, and memory, prompting us to reflect on what we must do to envision and create a new America.