N*gga Theory

“Why must our children be perfect to live?”

This question, early on in this book, really bothered me. Not because I don’t hear it from my Black friends, but because the feeling behind it made me want to cry angry, hopeless tears because this is the very true reality for Black parents all over this supposedly great nation.

This is by no means an easy, happy read...but it is a necessary one. And yes, parts do read like a college professor’s lecture because that’s exactly what Jody Armour is: a law professor at USC. But within that multitude of information lies the root of America’s problem with Black men and women. A system that inherently favors white people, poor or rich, and the “good” Black people over all other Black people. And by “good”, I mean this: those seeking to be meek, quiet, subservient, hardworking, and utterly perfect in the eyes of America. But even then, our society makes it all too easy to judge solely based on prejudices and he color of one’s skin.

Armour breaks down the means by which America has divided Black people into specific classes beyond those which are deemed inferior to others. He breaks down the luck or pluck theories by which POC may fall into one life or another. Most importantly, he breaks down exactly how we got where we are and who helped us along that path.

From the revolutionary minds and lyrics of Ice Cube to the penal codes of yesterday and today, this was a compelling read that, at times, was so much information I had to stop, absorb, think about what I’d learned, and then come back for more.

This is an intellectually demanding contribution to the area of critical race theory. Armour defends his theory seamlessly, addressing potential counter arguments and documenting countless sources throughout. This book forced me to contemplate race theory in ways I never have before and introduced new angles that I had not previously considered.

A look at the violent, oftentimes racist, imprisoning of black bodies through the american prison system. And maybe a solution toward dismantling that system.

Questions: "Why must our children be perfect to live? Why do they have to pull up their pants, or get good grades, or be respectful, and have ambitions, to live? Why can't they be children who hop fences, cuss when they're out of their parents' earshot, smoke a little weed, hate math, have dangerous-joyful lives, make mistakes, and recover from them?" These questions and so many more are heartbreaking statements as they relate to African Americans or black people. We/they must go the extra mile and be 10x better, but that is still not good enough. It seems that we/they are only good enough if a white person deems you as “one of the good ones”.
Why is this so ingrained in our society? Jody Armour’s book is definitely must-read. Armour delves into stereotypes and the expectations of white society on black society. Explorations of race and culture are prominent along with a look at systemic racism and how mass incarceration is a part of the whole. This is a great read offering insight information into our current culture. I highly recommend this book. It is extremely informative and may help to provide a better understanding of culture and bias. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

A riveting read on the injustices of racism and, specifically incarceration. The author shares his own history and stories of his experience. A deeply moving must-read.

An interesting read that I'm glad to have discovered. I'll definitely be seeking out more by this author.