When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century Ameri asin: 0393052133 binding: Hardcover list price: $25.95 USD amazon price: $16.35 USD

Deciding what to say about this book was something of a challenge. The bottom line is easy. I recommend the book most highly. It is one of a very few books that accurately describes the people and events that conspired successfully to lock Black Americans into peon status at a time when they both could and should have gained parity with the rest of the nation. It does so with all the clarity and caution (i.e., the numerous reminders of the pointlessness of casting blame on people who were thoroughly shaped by the culture of the day) necessary to teach mainstream America the very uncomfortable truth…those who are interested in learning, at any rate. The political actors and their social and economic motivations are laid bare, and more…they are documented. This is no philosophical musing; it is a history textbook that weaves a coherent story. In fact, it is the only story possible when all the facts are taken into account.

It was difficult to decide what to say because it tells two other stories as well that need understanding today. It describes the evolving relationship between Black Americans and the two major political parties. And it shows how colorblind racism can be worked into the law. There are several smaller lessons in the text as well, but these two are the ones that struck me forcibly.

The story of relationship between Black Americans and the two major political parties should be pretty well known but it is being clouded by the political rhetoric of today. Those who insist the Republican Party is “the party of Lincoln” are reusing turn of the century rhetoric that party used to appeal to northern Black people. There was no attempt to appeal to Blacks in the south. The Republican Party abandoned the south to the southern contingent of the Democratic Party, which even then had a different agenda than the northern contingent. That is, in fact, what made it so easy for them to abandon the Democratic Party en mass in protest of the passage of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. They already had a “working arrangement” that allowed them to shape national programs to local standards (which should also remind you of current day political rhetoric), thereby maintaining the single party police state under which Black Americans lived in the south.

Colorblind racism was implemented by language that excluded the only jobs Black Americans were allowed in that police state rather than explicitly stating “No Nigras” while acting affirmatively to promote all the others. The modern equivalent is targeting the support systems many Black people depend on as a result of the last round of targeting.

Obviously, I’ve chosen to make you aware of the other stories.

As a history of race relations in the United States, When Affirmative Action Was White comes up short only in leaving out Brown vs. Board of Education. That is acceptable to me because Professor Katznelson’s goal was to address the affirmative action debate that, contrary to Clarence Thomas’ declaration when he ran the EEOC, is not over. Brown was decided as it was to influence the United States’ image in its world competition with Russia and so would be something of a distraction. It also is written entirely from a mainstream perspective, for a mainstream audience. Again this isn’t so much a flaw as a necessary concession.

A complete understanding of American race relations requires both these missing elements though. If I were handing out assignments this book and Derrick Bell’s Silent Covenants: Brown V. Board of Education and the Unfulfilled Hopes for Racial Reform would be required reading. Silent Covenants covers much of the same ground but from Black American’s side of the veil. As the subtitle notes, it goes into detail on Brown from the perspective of actual participants and is equally well documented. On the other hand it has little of the deep detail Professor Katznelson provides on the shaping of New Deal, G.I. Bill and Great Society legislation to discriminatory ends, for much the same reason he provides nothing on Brown. Together they provide a depth and completeness I find impressive, though you have to assemble the whole story yourself.

The subtitle says the story of racial inequality in 20^th century America is “untold,” and it actually remains so, even with the publication of this book. But at least now it can be told. Again, I recommend this book without hesitation.