First published 2020
Austin Channing Brown examines how white evangelical institutions perpetuate racial inequality despite claiming to value diversity. She traces her personal journey from discovering at age seven that her parents chose her name to fool potential employers into thinking she was a white man. Brown analyzes her experiences in predominantly white schools, churches, and organizations where she learned to love her blackness while helping these institutions attempt genuine inclusion. She moves from Black Cleveland neighborhoods to middle-class suburban private schools, from prison walls to corporate boardrooms, documenting the gap between institutional mission statements and actual practice. Brown argues that white middle-class evangelicalism has contributed to rising racial hostility in America. The book offers readers tools to confront apathy, recognize ongoing social justice work, and understand how embracing blackness can benefit everyone.
Genres: american, african-american, autobiography, contemporary, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, equality
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-growth, social-commentary
Setting: Black Cleveland, Middle-Class Suburban Private Schools, Prison Walls, Corporate Boardrooms
Period: 21st Century
185 pages · Hardcover · Convergent Books
Content warnings: racism