Chapter 21

The chapter opens with a list of four girls killed in a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama in September 1963. News of the atrocity reached the young and brilliant college student <a data-internal-link data-link-type="Character" href="https://www.supersummary.com/stamped/key-figures/#284538">Angela Davis</a>, who knew the girls, their families, and the “deadly potential” of American racism from her own experiences in her youth. Shortly after the explosion, an assassin killed John F. Kennedy. Lyndon Baines Johnson took over the presidency and declared his intention to pass a Civil Rights Act that ruled “discrimination on the basis of race was illegal” (172). According to Reynolds, the problem with the legislation was that it “was a political play” that meant “White people […] could then argue that everything was now fine” (172) because racism had been solved on paper. With white supremacy legally outlawed, it was easier to pretend that it did not exist. The author adds that the legislation was nearly impossible to enforce and caused a backlash from white people unable to confront or challenge ongoing privileges. Politicians like George Wallace and Barry Goldwater emerged with platforms in favor of segregation and extreme conservativism. Johnson kept power in the face of these conservative threats but also faced criticism from “Black political movements […] who weren’t satisfied with what Johnson was doing for them” (175).

Chapter 21 Summary: “When Death Comes”

Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Summary: “Black Power”

Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Summary: “Murder Was the Case”

Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Summary: “What War on Drugs?”

Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Summary: “The Soundtrack of Sorrow and Subversion”

Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Summary: “A Million Strong”

Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Summary: “A Bill Too Many”

Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Summary: “A Miracle and Still a Maybe”

Afterword

Afterword Summary

Section 5 and Afterword

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Race & Ethnicity

A Black Lives Matter Reading List

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Ibram X. Kendi

Jason Reynolds

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Section 1: “1415-1728”

Introduction-Section 1

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Section 2: “1743-1826”

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Section 3: “1826-1879”

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Section 4: “1868-1963”

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Section 5: “1963-Today”

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