The Devil You Know

by Charles M Blow

First published 2021

Charles Blow presents his case for an unprecedented strategy to achieve Black equality in America. The New York Times columnist examines how centuries of waiting for white majorities to dismantle white supremacy have failed. Violence against Black people continued rising through 2020's pandemic and protests, compelling Blow to propose a different path forward. Drawing from his political observations and personal experience as a Black son of the South, he outlines a plan requiring massive demographic shifts. Blow argues that Black Americans should strategically relocate to Southern states where they can build political power through numbers. This approach moves beyond incremental change toward a comprehensive power transfer. The book combines memoir with political analysis, offering Black readers a concrete strategy for achieving true freedom on their own terms.

Genres: american, african-american, political-science, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, social-justice

Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: memoir, political-analysis

Setting: America, South

Period: 21st-century

256 pages · Hardcover · Harper

Content warnings: racism

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