Tightrope: A Racial Journey to the Age of Obama

Book info: Tightrope: A Racial Journey to the Age of Obama (Hardcover, 272 pages) – Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. Language: English.

Tightrope: A Racial Journey to the Age of Obama explores race and politics in the United States, addressing racial inequalities and injustices that have led to a point in history where, seemingly improbably, Americans have elected (and re-elected) a black man as president. We, as a nation, have taken precarious steps to arrive at the age of Obama, while remaining steeped in contradictions. Our steps on this racial tightrope are a work in progress―a history in the making―that will largely influence who we are and who we hope to become as Americans.Gail Garfield retraces our steps along this wavering racial tightrope, weaving in her own experiences, including her childhood in the Jim Crow south, with the nation’s broader racial history to trace the remarkable shift in America’s racial landscape. The divergent steps we have taken, teetering between regressive and progressive racial politics, between stifling continuity and meaningful change, have led us to where we now tread as a nation, in this new Age of Obama. The halting, swaying missteps created by racial fears, hatred, and anger reveal the important imprints of separation and difference, and the bold, assured steps open up possibilities for inclusion, acceptance, and belonging. Tightrope challenges readers to reflect on their own steps on the racial tightrope and to ask basic questions about racial identity and progress in the United States.

Editorial Reviews Review

“Race in America swells with ironies and tensions. Why is racial inequality shrinking in some areas but expanding in others? How is it that the same nation that incarcerates so many black men also elected Barack Obama as president? In this lucid and smart book that blends biography with history, Gail Garfield reveals how we got here and where we may be heading next.” ―Matthew Desmond, Harvard University

“Gail Garfield's Tightrope is a compelling investigation of 'who we are and who we hope to become' in the Age of Obama. She combines her moving personal experiences in the Jim Crow South with a seasoned sociologist's insights on America's race evolution. By challenging us on where we have been and where we are on race relations, Garfield shows us the path forward to a more inclusive national community.” ―Donna Brazile, CNN and ABC political commentator for CNN and ABC; former campaign manager for Al Gore in 2000

About the Author Gail Garfield is associate professor of sociology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. As an advocate for poor women and children, Garfield has been active in efforts to reshape social policies and practices in the areas of child welfare, public housing, foster care, drug treatment for women, and violence against women. She is the author of two books, including Through Our Eyes: African American Men’s Experiences of Race, Gender, and Violence.