A Realistic Blacktopia

Derrick Darby is Henry Rutgers Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University. He holds a BA from Colgate and a PhD from Pittsburgh. He discovered his passion for philosophy growing up in the Queensbridge public housing projects in NYC. For the backstory, see his TEDx talk, "Doing the Knowledge." He writes about rights, inequality, and democracy. He has been profiled in The Atlantic and published in The New York Times and other outlets. He is a cohost of A Pod Called Quest. His most recent book, with John L. Rury, is The Color of Mind: Why the Origins of the Achievement Gap Matter for Justice.

• Introduction:Taking a Hard-Eyed View of Racism Part I The Demise of Small Tent Remedies1 Affirmative Action2 Voting Rights3 Racial Reparations Part II The Dawn of Big Tent Remedies4 Black Liberalism Can't Save Us5 Postracial Remedies6 Collective Responsibility Part III The Demand for Democracy7 Power to the People8 Making Voting Easier9 The Dignity of Voting Epilogue:Democracy Born of Struggle Notes Acknowledgments Index

How can we enlarge the freedom and enhance the life prospects of African Americans when so many people are convinced that racism is no longer a serious problem? Derrick Darby answers this urgent question with an enlightening blend of philosophical argument and empirical evidence. He not only offers a practical and powerful response to the enduring significance of racism in the United States but also forcefully challenges progressive thinkers and activists to reconsider their usual policy proposals and strategies of resistance. An essential contribution to Black philosophy.