A hard to read yet imperative piece of history, one of those that America should be ashamed of and one that isn't taught in schools but should be.

I made a mistake by requesting this book shortly before its expiration date, and didn't have time to finish it. I will say that I found it fascinating (I was born in St. Louis, and am consumed with a desire to understand the racial history of that city) and intend to buy my own copy so I can finish it - and reread it, and recommend it to other members of my family. I read enough to know that it's a very important book.

A dense and rewarding study of the history of race in America, using St. Louis as a backdrop and a case study. As we've seen in recent months, Johnson's book couldn't be more timely, both for the national and local conversations about inclusion and exclusion.

"The Broken Heart of America" by Walter Johnson is a non fiction book detailing the violent racial history of the city of St. Louis. Spurred on by the tragic incident in Ferguson in 2014, the book covers all of the history leading up to that moment and explains how catastrophically divided the city had been.

As a person born in St. Louis, I felt like I was fairly familiar with the history of the city. I had been to the arch, gone through the national monument and learn about Louis and Clark as a kid. However, this book really dove into the history of the city through a detailed step by step retelling. I appreciated the more specific stories, especially in regards to the Native American population and their wrongful removal from the land. In general, the books that I have read up until this point have been more generalized and haven't been as personal and detailed as this particular work. The story of McIntosh surprised me, I had never even heard of this incident before reading the book. It left me reeling and wondering what other terrors I would unearth while reading this book.

This book stirred in me several emotions and required time to fully digest. Even now, I feel that this book will stay with me long after reading it. Within the book, I found mentions of the city where I grew up and places I frequented without knowing the history of the area and the oppression and racial capitalism that occurred there. This book was well written but fact heavy, readers will need to take their time to fully understand the importance of all these facts and how they are all interrelated.

Walter Johnson takes you on a deep-dive of racial history and exploitation in the United States as he explores the history of St. Louis. The book traces racism from the Lewis and Clark expedition through the 2014 uprising in Ferguson, Missouri. Johnson explains how white-dominated leaders maintained control over Native Americans and African Americans throughout the city’s history. African Americans continued to be victims through slavery, redlining, and urban renewal.

I found the book interesting but at times exhausting. It’s a lot of information but the details are important to fully understand how the racism impacted our entire nation. If you enjoy African American history, you will find this book intriguing. I admire Johnson for taking the time to make history come alive.