by Don Lemon
First published 2021
Don Lemon addresses the question of how America can eliminate racism within our lifetimes. The CNN Tonight host combines his experience as a television journalist with his perspective as a Black man in America. Lemon structures his argument around a letter to his Black nephew, weaving together personal narrative and reportage. He traces his family history back to enslaved ancestors, examines his childhood during segregation's aftermath, and recounts his professional encounters with political figures, activists, and academics. His investigation takes him to the slave port where his ancestor was captured and shipped to America. He explores a slave rebellion that occurred near his Louisiana birthplace. Lemon also documents the 2020 protests in New York City. Through these interconnected stories, he builds a case for daily resistance against racism through love rather than hatred.
Genres: american, african-american, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, personal-narrative
Setting: Louisiana, New York City, Slave Port
Period: Segregation Aftermath, 2020 Protests
224 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown and Company