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The Black History of the White House
The Black History of the White House presents the untold history, racial politics, and shifting significance of the White House as experienced by African Americans, from the generations of enslaved people who helped to build it or were forced to work there to its first black First Family, the Obamas.
Clarence Lusane juxtaposes significant events in White House history with the ongoing struggle for democratic, civil, and human rights by black Americans and demonstrates that only during crises have presidents used their authority to advance racial justice. He describes how in 1901 the building was officially named the “White House” amidst a furious backlash against President Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington to dinner, and how that same year that saw the consolidation of white power with the departure of the last black Congressmember elected after the Civil War. Lusane explores how, from its construction in 1792 to its becoming the home of the first black president, the White House has been a prism through which to view the progress and struggles of black Americans seeking full citizenship and justice.
“Clarence Lusane is one of America’s most thoughtful and critical thinkers on issues of race, class and power.”—Manning Marable
"Barack Obama may be the first black president in the White House, but he's far from the first black person to work in it. In this fascinating history of all the enslaved people, workers and entertainers who spent time in the president's official residence over the years, Clarence Lusane restores the White House to its true colors."—Barbara Ehrenreich
"Reading The Black History of the White House shows us how much we DON'T know about our history, politics, and culture. In a very accessible and polished style, Clarence Lusane takes us inside the key national events of the American past and present. He reveals new dimensions of the black presence in the US from revolutionary days to the Obama campaign. Yes, 'black hands built the White House'—enslaved black hands—but they also built this country's economy, political system, and culture, in ways Lusane shows us in great detail. A particularly important feature of this book its personal we see black political history through the experiences and insights of little-known participants in great American events. The detailed lives of Washington's slaves seeking freedom, or the complexities of Duke Ellington's relationships with the Truman and Eisenhower White House, show us American racism, and also black America's fierce hunger for freedom, in brand new and very exciting ways. This book would be a great addition to many courses in history, sociology, or ethnic studies courses. Highly recommended!"—Howard Winant
"The White House was built with slave labor and at least six US presidents owned slaves during their time in office. With these facts, Clarence Lusane, a political science professor at American University, opens The Black History of the White House(City Lights), a fascinating story of race relations that plays out both on the domestic front and the international stage. As Lusane writes, 'The Lincoln White House resolved the issue of slavery, but not that of racism.' Along with the political calculations surrounding who gets invited to the White House are matters of musical tastes and opinionated first ladies, ingredients that make for good storytelling.
Clarence Lusane juxtaposes significant events in White House history with the ongoing struggle for democratic, civil, and human rights by black Americans and demonstrates that only during crises have presidents used their authority to advance racial justice. He describes how in 1901 the building was officially named the “White House” amidst a furious backlash against President Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington to dinner, and how that same year that saw the consolidation of white power with the departure of the last black Congressmember elected after the Civil War. Lusane explores how, from its construction in 1792 to its becoming the home of the first black president, the White House has been a prism through which to view the progress and struggles of black Americans seeking full citizenship and justice.
“Clarence Lusane is one of America’s most thoughtful and critical thinkers on issues of race, class and power.”—Manning Marable
"Barack Obama may be the first black president in the White House, but he's far from the first black person to work in it. In this fascinating history of all the enslaved people, workers and entertainers who spent time in the president's official residence over the years, Clarence Lusane restores the White House to its true colors."—Barbara Ehrenreich
"Reading The Black History of the White House shows us how much we DON'T know about our history, politics, and culture. In a very accessible and polished style, Clarence Lusane takes us inside the key national events of the American past and present. He reveals new dimensions of the black presence in the US from revolutionary days to the Obama campaign. Yes, 'black hands built the White House'—enslaved black hands—but they also built this country's economy, political system, and culture, in ways Lusane shows us in great detail. A particularly important feature of this book its personal we see black political history through the experiences and insights of little-known participants in great American events. The detailed lives of Washington's slaves seeking freedom, or the complexities of Duke Ellington's relationships with the Truman and Eisenhower White House, show us American racism, and also black America's fierce hunger for freedom, in brand new and very exciting ways. This book would be a great addition to many courses in history, sociology, or ethnic studies courses. Highly recommended!"—Howard Winant
"The White House was built with slave labor and at least six US presidents owned slaves during their time in office. With these facts, Clarence Lusane, a political science professor at American University, opens The Black History of the White House(City Lights), a fascinating story of race relations that plays out both on the domestic front and the international stage. As Lusane writes, 'The Lincoln White House resolved the issue of slavery, but not that of racism.' Along with the political calculations surrounding who gets invited to the White House are matters of musical tastes and opinionated first ladies, ingredients that make for good storytelling.
573 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
92 people are currently reading
2131 people want to read
About the author
Clarence Lusane
15 books17 followersDr. Clarence Lusane is an African-American author, activist, lecturer and free-lance journalist. His most recent major work has been the publication of his book 'The Black History of the White House.'
For more than 30 years, Lusane has written about and been active in national and international anti-racism politics, globalization, U.S. foreign policy, human rights and social issues such as education and drug policy.
Dr. Lusane is the former editor of the journal Black Political Agenda, and has edited newsletters for a number of national non-profit organizations. He is a national columnist for the Black Voices syndicated news network, and his writings have appeared in The Black Scholar, Race and Class, Washington Post, Oakland Tribune, Covert Action Information Bulletin, Z Magazine, Radical History Journal and many other publications.
Lusane is the former Chairman of the Board of the National Alliance of Third World Journalists. As a journalist, he has traveled to numerous countries to investigate the political and social circumstances or crises faced by those nations. Various nations that he has reported on include Cuba, Egypt, Mexico, Jamaica, the Netherlands, North Korea, Italy, and South Africa.
Presently, Dr. Lusane is an Associate Professor of Political Science at American University School of International Service, where he teaches courses in comparative race relations, modern social movements, comparative politics of Africa, the Caribbean and Europe, black political theory and political behavior, international drug politics, and jazz and international relations. Dr. Lusane has lectured at numerous universities nation-wide, including Harvard, Georgetown, George Washington University, University of California-Berkeley, University of Chicago and Yale, among others. He has also lectured on U.S. race relations in numerous foreign nations, including Colombia, Cuba, England, France, Germany, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Japan, the Netherlands, Panama, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe.
Professor Lusane's current research interests are in international race politics, human rights, and electoral politics. He is currently conducting research on the intersection of jazz and international relations. This work examines how jazz has been politically and ideologically appropriated by a wide range of social groups in the international community
For more than 30 years, Lusane has written about and been active in national and international anti-racism politics, globalization, U.S. foreign policy, human rights and social issues such as education and drug policy.
Dr. Lusane is the former editor of the journal Black Political Agenda, and has edited newsletters for a number of national non-profit organizations. He is a national columnist for the Black Voices syndicated news network, and his writings have appeared in The Black Scholar, Race and Class, Washington Post, Oakland Tribune, Covert Action Information Bulletin, Z Magazine, Radical History Journal and many other publications.
Lusane is the former Chairman of the Board of the National Alliance of Third World Journalists. As a journalist, he has traveled to numerous countries to investigate the political and social circumstances or crises faced by those nations. Various nations that he has reported on include Cuba, Egypt, Mexico, Jamaica, the Netherlands, North Korea, Italy, and South Africa.
Presently, Dr. Lusane is an Associate Professor of Political Science at American University School of International Service, where he teaches courses in comparative race relations, modern social movements, comparative politics of Africa, the Caribbean and Europe, black political theory and political behavior, international drug politics, and jazz and international relations. Dr. Lusane has lectured at numerous universities nation-wide, including Harvard, Georgetown, George Washington University, University of California-Berkeley, University of Chicago and Yale, among others. He has also lectured on U.S. race relations in numerous foreign nations, including Colombia, Cuba, England, France, Germany, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Japan, the Netherlands, Panama, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe.
Professor Lusane's current research interests are in international race politics, human rights, and electoral politics. He is currently conducting research on the intersection of jazz and international relations. This work examines how jazz has been politically and ideologically appropriated by a wide range of social groups in the international community
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 1, 2016
"The Obamas were the first African American first family, but not the first residents. This thoroughly researched and gripping book shares the untold stories of some of the people who were enslaved by U.S. presidents, including stories of resistance and escape. Lusane describes the myriad ways that the White House and the lives of African Americans have been intertwined throughout U.S. history. This is the only book to document this essential story in our country’s history."
--Rethinking Schools
"Clarence Lusane presents a comprehensive — yet untold — history of the White House from an African American perspective. In illuminating the central role Blacks played in this country's history, Lusane charts the course of race relations in the Untied States.
“'The Black History of the White House' features stories of those who were forced to work on the construction of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and the White House slaves and servants who went on to write books. Readers hear from the Secret Service agents who were harassed by their peers to the Washington insiders who rose to the highest levels of power and behind-the-scenes with Black artists and intellectuals invited to the White House."
--The Philadelphia Tribune
"The author concludes from his research that there is little doubt the first African American in the White House was a slave. In fact, 25 percent of our presidents were slaveholders. And between the time of slavery and now — with our nation’s first black president — there is a long and storied history of blacks in the White House, from servants to lobbyists to Secret Service agents, reporters, activists, officials and more."
--The Chicago Sun Times
"Those who think they know their presidents may be in for surprises in Clarence Lusane's fascinating social history that begins: 'More than one in four U.S. presidents were involved in human trafficking and slavery. These presidents bought, sold, bred and enslaved black people for profit. Of the 12 presidents who were enslavers, more than half kept people in bondage at the White House.' Lusane, an American University professor, weaves in stories of people like Paul Jennings, born into slavery on James Madison's farm, who at 10 was a White House footman and in 1865 wrote the first White House memoir, A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison."
-- USA Today
"He meticulously threads personal stories of slaves, builders, chefs, jazz performers, policymakers, and other historic figures (accompanied by occasional portraits) with sharp analyses of leaders facing the criticism and challenges of their times. . . . it's an eye-opening tribute and a provocative reminder of the many narratives that have gone untold."
--Publisher's Weekly
"Clarence Lusane’s Black History of the White House came out late last year and flew under the radar at most of the major book reviews. But Lusane is an elegant, impassioned writer, and the book—which is full of stories we’d never encountered in American History 101—is totally engrossing.
Lusane starts off in the 18th century, working his way up to Barack Obama’s White House. Presidents Washington, Madison, and Roosevelt (the first) come in for especially close examination, but you’ll also read about 'Blind Tom' Wiggins (an autistic savant who was the first African-American to give a professional performance at the White House), James Benjamin Parker (an extremely large man who became a national hero after helping to subdue President McKinley’s assassin), and other figures who are more or less ignored by conventional historians. This is a serious, necessary book, but not a humorless one, and one of our favorite sections involves the forgotten campaign to draft Dizzy Gillespie to run against Lyndon Johnson in 1964: 'Rather than "secretaries" he would have "ministers,"' Lusane writes, 'including Max Roach as Minister of Defense, bassist Charles Mingus as Minister of Peace, Malcolm X as Attorney General, composer Duke Ellington as Ambassador to the Vatican, Louis Armstrong as Minister of Agriculture, and singer Ray Charles would be in charge of the Library of Congress. Other positions were to go to Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Woody Herman, and Count Basie.'”
--The Observer's "Very Short List"
The Black History of the White House presents the untold history and shifting significance of the White House as experienced by African Americans, from the generations of enslaved people who helped to build it or were forced to work there to its first black First Family, the Obamas.
Juxtaposing significant events in White House history with the ongoing struggle for equal rights, Lusane offers a unique and compelling view of one of America's most symbolic structures. And from the first slave-owning presidents to more contemporary examples, he shows how U.S. presidents have used their authority to advance racial justice only when under great pressure to do so. Here is the story of the furious backlash unleashed against President Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington to dinner in 1901, which resulted in a virtual ban on such invitations for the next 30 years. Here too are the voices of those who insisted on justice and representation, such as Marcus Garvey, who issued a call in 1920 for a Black House and a black president. The Black History of the White House is a timely reminder that the White House has always been a prism through which to view the progress and struggles of black Americans.
"In eloquent language, Lusane shows how the African American experience helped shape a series of presidential administrations and governmental policies."
--Sacramento Bee
“Black folks built the White House in more ways than one. In this beautifully rendered narrative, Clarence Lusane recasts the whole of American history by revealing how slavery and emancipation, racial violence and civil rights, the black freedom movement and white supremacy, and dozens of unsung black heroes shaped the U.S. presidency and federal government in profound ways. Anyone who cares about this country and is not afraid of the truth must read this book, including President Obama. It can help him get his house in order.”
—Robin D. G. Kelley, author Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original
"Barack Obama may be the first black president in the White House, but he's far from the first black person to work in it. In this fascinating history of all the enslaved people, workers and entertainers who spent time in the president's official residence over the years, Clarence Lusane restores the White House to its true colors."
—Barbara Ehrenreich
"Reading The Black History of the White House shows us how much we DON'T know about our history, politics, and culture. In a very accessible and polished style, Clarence Lusane takes us inside the key national events of the American past and present. He reveals new dimensions of the black presence in the US from revolutionary days to the Obama campaign. Yes, 'black hands built the White House' — enslaved black hands — but they also built this country's economy, political system, and culture, in ways Lusane shows us in great detail. . . . This book would be a great addition to many courses in history, sociology, or ethnic studies courses. Highly recommended!"
—Howard Winant, UC Santa Barbara
"Slaves have toiled in the White House; 25 percent of our Presidents were slaveholders. Lusane reminds readers of the place of the President's house, from its very construction onward, in African American history, a tale all-too rarely told."
Library Journal
". . . carefully documents the travails of a polity in which African-Americans were so essential and prevalent, but that struggled endlessly to maintain, then dismantle, the institution of slavery. . . . A lively, opinionated survey, telling a story that the textbooks too often overlook."
Kirkus Reviews
"Despite the racial progress represented by the election of the first black president of the U.S., the nation's capital has a very complicated and often unflattering racial history. Lusane traces the racial history of the White House from George Washington to Barack Obama."
Booklist
"The White House was built with slave labor and at least six US presidents owned slaves during their time in office. With these facts, Clarence Lusane, a political science professor at American University, opens 'The Black History of the White House'(City Lights), a fascinating story of race relations that plays out both on the domestic front and the international stage. As Lusane writes, 'The Lincoln White House resolved the issue of slavery, but not that of racism.' Along with the political calculations surrounding who gets invited to the White House are matters of musical tastes and opinionated first ladies, ingredients that make for good storytelling."
The Boston Globe
--Rethinking Schools
"Clarence Lusane presents a comprehensive — yet untold — history of the White House from an African American perspective. In illuminating the central role Blacks played in this country's history, Lusane charts the course of race relations in the Untied States.
“'The Black History of the White House' features stories of those who were forced to work on the construction of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and the White House slaves and servants who went on to write books. Readers hear from the Secret Service agents who were harassed by their peers to the Washington insiders who rose to the highest levels of power and behind-the-scenes with Black artists and intellectuals invited to the White House."
--The Philadelphia Tribune
"The author concludes from his research that there is little doubt the first African American in the White House was a slave. In fact, 25 percent of our presidents were slaveholders. And between the time of slavery and now — with our nation’s first black president — there is a long and storied history of blacks in the White House, from servants to lobbyists to Secret Service agents, reporters, activists, officials and more."
--The Chicago Sun Times
"Those who think they know their presidents may be in for surprises in Clarence Lusane's fascinating social history that begins: 'More than one in four U.S. presidents were involved in human trafficking and slavery. These presidents bought, sold, bred and enslaved black people for profit. Of the 12 presidents who were enslavers, more than half kept people in bondage at the White House.' Lusane, an American University professor, weaves in stories of people like Paul Jennings, born into slavery on James Madison's farm, who at 10 was a White House footman and in 1865 wrote the first White House memoir, A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison."
-- USA Today
"He meticulously threads personal stories of slaves, builders, chefs, jazz performers, policymakers, and other historic figures (accompanied by occasional portraits) with sharp analyses of leaders facing the criticism and challenges of their times. . . . it's an eye-opening tribute and a provocative reminder of the many narratives that have gone untold."
--Publisher's Weekly
"Clarence Lusane’s Black History of the White House came out late last year and flew under the radar at most of the major book reviews. But Lusane is an elegant, impassioned writer, and the book—which is full of stories we’d never encountered in American History 101—is totally engrossing.
Lusane starts off in the 18th century, working his way up to Barack Obama’s White House. Presidents Washington, Madison, and Roosevelt (the first) come in for especially close examination, but you’ll also read about 'Blind Tom' Wiggins (an autistic savant who was the first African-American to give a professional performance at the White House), James Benjamin Parker (an extremely large man who became a national hero after helping to subdue President McKinley’s assassin), and other figures who are more or less ignored by conventional historians. This is a serious, necessary book, but not a humorless one, and one of our favorite sections involves the forgotten campaign to draft Dizzy Gillespie to run against Lyndon Johnson in 1964: 'Rather than "secretaries" he would have "ministers,"' Lusane writes, 'including Max Roach as Minister of Defense, bassist Charles Mingus as Minister of Peace, Malcolm X as Attorney General, composer Duke Ellington as Ambassador to the Vatican, Louis Armstrong as Minister of Agriculture, and singer Ray Charles would be in charge of the Library of Congress. Other positions were to go to Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, Woody Herman, and Count Basie.'”
--The Observer's "Very Short List"
The Black History of the White House presents the untold history and shifting significance of the White House as experienced by African Americans, from the generations of enslaved people who helped to build it or were forced to work there to its first black First Family, the Obamas.
Juxtaposing significant events in White House history with the ongoing struggle for equal rights, Lusane offers a unique and compelling view of one of America's most symbolic structures. And from the first slave-owning presidents to more contemporary examples, he shows how U.S. presidents have used their authority to advance racial justice only when under great pressure to do so. Here is the story of the furious backlash unleashed against President Roosevelt for inviting Booker T. Washington to dinner in 1901, which resulted in a virtual ban on such invitations for the next 30 years. Here too are the voices of those who insisted on justice and representation, such as Marcus Garvey, who issued a call in 1920 for a Black House and a black president. The Black History of the White House is a timely reminder that the White House has always been a prism through which to view the progress and struggles of black Americans.
"In eloquent language, Lusane shows how the African American experience helped shape a series of presidential administrations and governmental policies."
--Sacramento Bee
“Black folks built the White House in more ways than one. In this beautifully rendered narrative, Clarence Lusane recasts the whole of American history by revealing how slavery and emancipation, racial violence and civil rights, the black freedom movement and white supremacy, and dozens of unsung black heroes shaped the U.S. presidency and federal government in profound ways. Anyone who cares about this country and is not afraid of the truth must read this book, including President Obama. It can help him get his house in order.”
—Robin D. G. Kelley, author Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original
"Barack Obama may be the first black president in the White House, but he's far from the first black person to work in it. In this fascinating history of all the enslaved people, workers and entertainers who spent time in the president's official residence over the years, Clarence Lusane restores the White House to its true colors."
—Barbara Ehrenreich
"Reading The Black History of the White House shows us how much we DON'T know about our history, politics, and culture. In a very accessible and polished style, Clarence Lusane takes us inside the key national events of the American past and present. He reveals new dimensions of the black presence in the US from revolutionary days to the Obama campaign. Yes, 'black hands built the White House' — enslaved black hands — but they also built this country's economy, political system, and culture, in ways Lusane shows us in great detail. . . . This book would be a great addition to many courses in history, sociology, or ethnic studies courses. Highly recommended!"
—Howard Winant, UC Santa Barbara
"Slaves have toiled in the White House; 25 percent of our Presidents were slaveholders. Lusane reminds readers of the place of the President's house, from its very construction onward, in African American history, a tale all-too rarely told."
Library Journal
". . . carefully documents the travails of a polity in which African-Americans were so essential and prevalent, but that struggled endlessly to maintain, then dismantle, the institution of slavery. . . . A lively, opinionated survey, telling a story that the textbooks too often overlook."
Kirkus Reviews
"Despite the racial progress represented by the election of the first black president of the U.S., the nation's capital has a very complicated and often unflattering racial history. Lusane traces the racial history of the White House from George Washington to Barack Obama."
Booklist
"The White House was built with slave labor and at least six US presidents owned slaves during their time in office. With these facts, Clarence Lusane, a political science professor at American University, opens 'The Black History of the White House'(City Lights), a fascinating story of race relations that plays out both on the domestic front and the international stage. As Lusane writes, 'The Lincoln White House resolved the issue of slavery, but not that of racism.' Along with the political calculations surrounding who gets invited to the White House are matters of musical tastes and opinionated first ladies, ingredients that make for good storytelling."
The Boston Globe
October 19, 2011
(4.5) Enlightening and densely packed history of blacks in and around the White House and American politics
This was an amazingly informative read. I enjoyed it thoroughly and learned a lot. It was full of well researched anecdotes, analyses of political, social and economic trends. I encountered names and stories I had never heard before and loved it. So grateful to Peter at City Lights who just happened to mention this book when we visited this summer.
Really loved his use of footnotes. 1) he was consistent and complete, citing everything. Also offered occasional tidbits in the footnotes that were enjoyable to read but not specifically pertinent to the point being made. Finally, actually used proper footnoting, not the annoying practice of no notation in the text and references to phrases in the text in the notes section (I mean, how're you going to know to look back there? That drives me crazy, and I can't even imagine what the experience is like on an e-reader).
Generally a chronological history, but within that structure, he'll follow a thread through history (e.g. black entertainers in the White House, black presidential candidates, black memoirs about working in the White House), that are much more meaningful than if they appeared in their appropriate chronological order with the relevant administration.
Minor thing, and perhaps just because it would be difficult for many of us to get our hands on the primary sources, but in the early chapters, he made heavy use of secondary (or tertiary? I admit I haven't followed any of them) sources (as evidenced in the preponderance of footnotes to 20th and 21st century works), but soon moved to many primary sources. In fact found several first-hand accounts of blacks working in the White House that I've added to my to-read list (Lizzy Keckly, Alonzo Fields, Lillian Rogers Parks).
Another minor criticism: the judgmental tone. Using words like "unfortunately" and "failed to act" with great frequency when describing many of the wrongs in American history. Not many would disagree with his perspective, but felt a little out of place in a history. He reserves his choicest judgmental words for Alan Keyes. In just a couple of pages he uses "nuisance" "extremist" "fanatical" "comical" "sideshow" "pathological" "embarrassment" "always furious" "farcical campaign" in reference to Keyes' failed campaign against Obama in the 2004 Illinois Senate race. Honorable mention goes to Sarah Palin for colorful strings of modifiers: "ill-chosen, ignorant, shallow, and untested Sarah Palin"…"ill-prepared, ignorant, and vapid Alaska governor, Sarah Palin."
Among many fascinating African Americans we learn about:
* Oney Judge: slave under George Washington who escapes to New Hampshire and later found
* Phyllis Wheatley: first published African American woman, had an exchange of letters with Jefferson over immorality (and contradiction with the Declaration of Independence) of slavery and his claim that blacks were unfit for citizenship/freedom
* Benjamin Banneker: aided the surveying of Washington, DC
* Philip Reed: saves the Freedom sculpture being held hostage by an Italian worker who knew how to re-assemble the sculpture for placement atop the Capitol
* Paul Jennings and the myth of Dolley Madison saving Stuart's Washington portrait (he claims it was saved by a servant)
* Blind Tom Greene Bethune Wiggins: tremendously talented musician, composer blind from birth
* Elizabeth Keckly: Mary Todd Lincoln's confidant
Unfortunately, I have a lot of errata to report. I didn't note the first couple (a verb tense error and a nonword, both of which should've been caught by grammar/spell checker). Had a typical number of typos until page 350, when it looks like someone fell asleep at the wheel:
p. 180: 3 missing 'fi' ligatures (but present throughout the book) (isn't that just automatic?)
p. 212 (and 471?): space between end of sentence and footnote
p. 219: aggressively tight spacing between words on last two lines of page? trying to squeeze without pushing to next page?
p. 351: "school principle" (the job)
p. 359: "300,000 thousand" (# of Americans in support of a movement at end of 19th c….pretty clearly not 300 million)
p. 364: "black candidates who have ran for president"
p. 368: "won 18percent" (no space)
p. 380: in the Keyes/Obama Illinois Senate race, he reports the results as 73% to 37%, which I believe is impossible, even in Chicago politics.
p. 395: "Cite." -- i think we forgot to insert our citation (if that was the scheme, however, very impressive hit rate…there are a LOT of footnotes, often > 100 per chapter
p. 404: referring to Barack Obama as 'the Obama' in the same sentence (think he actually meant Obama administration….
p. 415-417: Michelle Obama's ancestor is Melvinia x 3, Melvina x 2, Melvinia x 3
p. 460: gibberish editing: "…it maintained that the documents stilled supported the original conference…"
p. 469: "in1982" (no space)
p. 471: space between end of sentence and footnote
This was an amazingly informative read. I enjoyed it thoroughly and learned a lot. It was full of well researched anecdotes, analyses of political, social and economic trends. I encountered names and stories I had never heard before and loved it. So grateful to Peter at City Lights who just happened to mention this book when we visited this summer.
Really loved his use of footnotes. 1) he was consistent and complete, citing everything. Also offered occasional tidbits in the footnotes that were enjoyable to read but not specifically pertinent to the point being made. Finally, actually used proper footnoting, not the annoying practice of no notation in the text and references to phrases in the text in the notes section (I mean, how're you going to know to look back there? That drives me crazy, and I can't even imagine what the experience is like on an e-reader).
Generally a chronological history, but within that structure, he'll follow a thread through history (e.g. black entertainers in the White House, black presidential candidates, black memoirs about working in the White House), that are much more meaningful than if they appeared in their appropriate chronological order with the relevant administration.
Minor thing, and perhaps just because it would be difficult for many of us to get our hands on the primary sources, but in the early chapters, he made heavy use of secondary (or tertiary? I admit I haven't followed any of them) sources (as evidenced in the preponderance of footnotes to 20th and 21st century works), but soon moved to many primary sources. In fact found several first-hand accounts of blacks working in the White House that I've added to my to-read list (Lizzy Keckly, Alonzo Fields, Lillian Rogers Parks).
Another minor criticism: the judgmental tone. Using words like "unfortunately" and "failed to act" with great frequency when describing many of the wrongs in American history. Not many would disagree with his perspective, but felt a little out of place in a history. He reserves his choicest judgmental words for Alan Keyes. In just a couple of pages he uses "nuisance" "extremist" "fanatical" "comical" "sideshow" "pathological" "embarrassment" "always furious" "farcical campaign" in reference to Keyes' failed campaign against Obama in the 2004 Illinois Senate race. Honorable mention goes to Sarah Palin for colorful strings of modifiers: "ill-chosen, ignorant, shallow, and untested Sarah Palin"…"ill-prepared, ignorant, and vapid Alaska governor, Sarah Palin."
Among many fascinating African Americans we learn about:
* Oney Judge: slave under George Washington who escapes to New Hampshire and later found
* Phyllis Wheatley: first published African American woman, had an exchange of letters with Jefferson over immorality (and contradiction with the Declaration of Independence) of slavery and his claim that blacks were unfit for citizenship/freedom
* Benjamin Banneker: aided the surveying of Washington, DC
* Philip Reed: saves the Freedom sculpture being held hostage by an Italian worker who knew how to re-assemble the sculpture for placement atop the Capitol
* Paul Jennings and the myth of Dolley Madison saving Stuart's Washington portrait (he claims it was saved by a servant)
* Blind Tom Greene Bethune Wiggins: tremendously talented musician, composer blind from birth
* Elizabeth Keckly: Mary Todd Lincoln's confidant
Unfortunately, I have a lot of errata to report. I didn't note the first couple (a verb tense error and a nonword, both of which should've been caught by grammar/spell checker). Had a typical number of typos until page 350, when it looks like someone fell asleep at the wheel:
p. 180: 3 missing 'fi' ligatures (but present throughout the book) (isn't that just automatic?)
p. 212 (and 471?): space between end of sentence and footnote
p. 219: aggressively tight spacing between words on last two lines of page? trying to squeeze without pushing to next page?
p. 351: "school principle" (the job)
p. 359: "300,000 thousand" (# of Americans in support of a movement at end of 19th c….pretty clearly not 300 million)
p. 364: "black candidates who have ran for president"
p. 368: "won 18percent" (no space)
p. 380: in the Keyes/Obama Illinois Senate race, he reports the results as 73% to 37%, which I believe is impossible, even in Chicago politics.
p. 395: "Cite." -- i think we forgot to insert our citation (if that was the scheme, however, very impressive hit rate…there are a LOT of footnotes, often > 100 per chapter
p. 404: referring to Barack Obama as 'the Obama' in the same sentence (think he actually meant Obama administration….
p. 415-417: Michelle Obama's ancestor is Melvinia x 3, Melvina x 2, Melvinia x 3
p. 460: gibberish editing: "…it maintained that the documents stilled supported the original conference…"
p. 469: "in1982" (no space)
p. 471: space between end of sentence and footnote
September 12, 2011
Covers every known American of African ancestry connected in a vital way to the house of the president now commonly known as the White House--and also the People's House. Starting with Oney Judge--look her up and give one of "founding fathers" a serious side-eye--and ending with Barack Hussein Obama--United States of America's first bi-racial, and openly Black, president.
July 19, 2012
Pretty awesome breath on US history, race relations and the politics of black-white race relations with the White House as the backdrop. I enjoyed the way Lusane wove together stories of lesser known historical figures with political and historical analyses. The driving force of this book is what all this means for us as a nation today and beyond. The United States is an imperfect society, but if we took some lessons presented in this book, we would certainly be a more just place. Basically, we need to deal with our racially inequitable sh*t.
Minor note: I couldn't help but notice several editorial problems. A more careful copyediting eye would save the author a slight bit of embarrassment.
Minor note: I couldn't help but notice several editorial problems. A more careful copyediting eye would save the author a slight bit of embarrassment.
August 19, 2020
Absolutely brilliant. Lusane expertly walks you through all of American history's major milestones through the lens of unknown Black movers and shakers whose stories are rarely told. His narrative from pre-Revolution through the Obama White House is crystal clear -- that the nation was founded and routinely strengthened through marginalizing the Black community, and that there is no shortage of individual women and men who played their role to advance a more equitable society. This book was written in the course of Obama's first term so to see how Lusane's hopes and predictions for his presidency actually panned out is fascinating and worth reflecting on.
August 18, 2021
There’s so much good history in this and so many good stories! This is definitely something I’ll reread and go back to!
December 12, 2019
I was really hoping this book would contain more personal stories, more ways in how the black residents of the White House and Washington D.C. experienced the political issues they had witnessed, like the first few chapters did. However, this seems to be more about black Americans in politics in general.
The information in this book is really interesting, but as a whole, this work is ambitious - to its detriment. Instead of focusing on one topic, the author throws in so many backstories and additional information that it becomes a tangled mess. For instance, he spends pages on Obama's campaign strategy. In fact, many things are repeated, sometimes verbatim, as if he forgot he'd already included it 20 pages earlier.
In addition, there's no real structure. It's loosely chronological, but tangents sometimes swing us a century or more into the past or future.
As I said, there is some really interesting and powerful information in this book. You just have to weed through a lot to get to it.
I did love how he called out racists. So many authors tiptoe around that word and don't want to actually call Republicans out for what they are.
Also, this was written in 2010, just 18 months into Obama's presidency. The author is practically giddy about Obama's administration and is brimming with hope for the future. Reading this in 2019 was so weird, considering I used to feel the same way. I miss feeling like the world has a chance of getting better. The Obama years were like a second Camelot. These past three years under Trump have been a nightmare, and we've regressed so much. It was nice to feel like I was back in 2010, when the future held so much promise.
The information in this book is really interesting, but as a whole, this work is ambitious - to its detriment. Instead of focusing on one topic, the author throws in so many backstories and additional information that it becomes a tangled mess. For instance, he spends pages on Obama's campaign strategy. In fact, many things are repeated, sometimes verbatim, as if he forgot he'd already included it 20 pages earlier.
In addition, there's no real structure. It's loosely chronological, but tangents sometimes swing us a century or more into the past or future.
As I said, there is some really interesting and powerful information in this book. You just have to weed through a lot to get to it.
I did love how he called out racists. So many authors tiptoe around that word and don't want to actually call Republicans out for what they are.
Also, this was written in 2010, just 18 months into Obama's presidency. The author is practically giddy about Obama's administration and is brimming with hope for the future. Reading this in 2019 was so weird, considering I used to feel the same way. I miss feeling like the world has a chance of getting better. The Obama years were like a second Camelot. These past three years under Trump have been a nightmare, and we've regressed so much. It was nice to feel like I was back in 2010, when the future held so much promise.
July 26, 2024
Informative and an enlightening read. I didn’t realize how instrumental black people were in the building and architectural structure of the White House but I am not surprised. It only reconfirms our brilliance & intellect on our contributions to this country despite not having a president of our descent until the 44th of presidency still we served, built and helped design the White House. Listening to it on audible it was a lot to unpack but a necessary read.
December 29, 2013
I had the pleasure of hearing Clarence Lusane speak about his book at a work seminar last year.
As the author writes, this book features "the stories of real people who have challenged the racist dimensions of U. S. power and privilege that convey the history and experience of African Americans and their shifting relationship to the White House. For too many years, their experiences have been ignored, their voices silenced, their history absent from the public classroom."
Mr. Lusane does an excellent job of bringing these stories to light. A different story serves as a prelude to each chapter. My favorite story was about Oney Judge, a slave owned by George Washington, who escaped from right under his nose. These were fascinating anecdotes that I'd never heard before.
However, the book, at times, is a bit tedious to read. I'm afraid the author tried to put too much into it. It's not well organized and the timeline is all over the place. I often found it difficult to keep track of what place in history I was reading about.
My other main gripe is that Mr. Lusane often inserts his judgment and opinion into the narrative rather than just presenting the facts. I didn't mind this when I saw him speak because his comments served more as an aside and helped personalize his talk, but in the book, it seemed out of place. For example, when discussing the McCain/Palin presidential campaign, he wrote that McCain selected "ill-prepared, ignorant, and vapid Alaska governor, Sarah Palin." Whether or not you agree with that statement, it doesn't belong in a history book. It shows the author's bias and cheapens his credibility a bit.
Still, I definitely recommend that everyone pick up this book and at least read each chapter prelude. I think these are important stories that everyone needs to hear.
As the author writes, this book features "the stories of real people who have challenged the racist dimensions of U. S. power and privilege that convey the history and experience of African Americans and their shifting relationship to the White House. For too many years, their experiences have been ignored, their voices silenced, their history absent from the public classroom."
Mr. Lusane does an excellent job of bringing these stories to light. A different story serves as a prelude to each chapter. My favorite story was about Oney Judge, a slave owned by George Washington, who escaped from right under his nose. These were fascinating anecdotes that I'd never heard before.
However, the book, at times, is a bit tedious to read. I'm afraid the author tried to put too much into it. It's not well organized and the timeline is all over the place. I often found it difficult to keep track of what place in history I was reading about.
My other main gripe is that Mr. Lusane often inserts his judgment and opinion into the narrative rather than just presenting the facts. I didn't mind this when I saw him speak because his comments served more as an aside and helped personalize his talk, but in the book, it seemed out of place. For example, when discussing the McCain/Palin presidential campaign, he wrote that McCain selected "ill-prepared, ignorant, and vapid Alaska governor, Sarah Palin." Whether or not you agree with that statement, it doesn't belong in a history book. It shows the author's bias and cheapens his credibility a bit.
Still, I definitely recommend that everyone pick up this book and at least read each chapter prelude. I think these are important stories that everyone needs to hear.
September 3, 2011
I heard Clarence Lusane on Q&A and knew I wanted to read this book. I learned so much! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the influence of African Americans on our U.S. history. It will open your eyes.
April 6, 2022
A fantastically informative book, well organized and broadly chronological while still diving into particular specific topics (e.g. entertainment, Secret Service, etc.) in ways that move beyond the time frame of the moment the topic is introduced. Books like this make it clear that whatever a person has learned about US history, it has been a limited and white-focused version of what happened. The content through most of the book was wonderful.
I gave this book 4 stars, and would have given it a 5 except for the chapter on Obama. There the author drifted from historian to editor, expressing multiple opinions rather than sticking to reporting events. I know that no one is genuinely neutral, but when he said, “Obama should do X” and “needs to do Y,” he really lost me on the validity of anything from this current time period. Also, after hundreds of pages talking about competent humans and capable women, he reached this line about Michelle Obama: “This was the historical environment and context, a trajectory through the slave plantations in South Carolina, tenant farms of Georgia, and Black working class neighborhoods of Chicago, that produced Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama, a gifted, sophisticated, intelligent, committed, forthright, and physically stunning woman…” WHAT?!? “…who has brought a superb dignity to the White House.” Her body and face are irrelevant. Just STOP.
A note on the audiobook reader: The reader (JD Jackson) drove me crazy in several ways. He affected accents for quotes, including attempting to sound like old-timey, poorly educated Southerners. This is insulting and wrong. It’s wrong when white readers adopt what they perceive to be enslaved Blacks’ accents/vernacular, and it’s wrong when a Black reader does it in reverse. (And for anyone’s supposed accent, really. Just… read the words as you.) Also, the reader *constantly* adds bizarre slight-but-noticeable pauses before names of people or things. Something like “it was published in (pause) The Times Herald” and “(Condoleeza) Rice performed with (pause) Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.” Also, if the reader can pronounce NAFTA as a word, and CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) as a word, and say “N-double A-CP,” then he for dang sure could and should have pronounced SNCC as “snick” rather than incessantly calling the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee “Ess Enn Cee Cee.” There’s no excuse for that.
I gave this book 4 stars, and would have given it a 5 except for the chapter on Obama. There the author drifted from historian to editor, expressing multiple opinions rather than sticking to reporting events. I know that no one is genuinely neutral, but when he said, “Obama should do X” and “needs to do Y,” he really lost me on the validity of anything from this current time period. Also, after hundreds of pages talking about competent humans and capable women, he reached this line about Michelle Obama: “This was the historical environment and context, a trajectory through the slave plantations in South Carolina, tenant farms of Georgia, and Black working class neighborhoods of Chicago, that produced Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama, a gifted, sophisticated, intelligent, committed, forthright, and physically stunning woman…” WHAT?!? “…who has brought a superb dignity to the White House.” Her body and face are irrelevant. Just STOP.
A note on the audiobook reader: The reader (JD Jackson) drove me crazy in several ways. He affected accents for quotes, including attempting to sound like old-timey, poorly educated Southerners. This is insulting and wrong. It’s wrong when white readers adopt what they perceive to be enslaved Blacks’ accents/vernacular, and it’s wrong when a Black reader does it in reverse. (And for anyone’s supposed accent, really. Just… read the words as you.) Also, the reader *constantly* adds bizarre slight-but-noticeable pauses before names of people or things. Something like “it was published in (pause) The Times Herald” and “(Condoleeza) Rice performed with (pause) Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.” Also, if the reader can pronounce NAFTA as a word, and CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) as a word, and say “N-double A-CP,” then he for dang sure could and should have pronounced SNCC as “snick” rather than incessantly calling the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee “Ess Enn Cee Cee.” There’s no excuse for that.
April 2, 2024
I thought I knew a lot about slavery until I read this book. Clarence Lusane did exhaustive research with hundreds of footnotes. There was no skimming through this book, I took my time to let every detail sink in. There is so much. This book should be taught in school. It would kill the CRT people. It puts a light on every one of their dirty little secrets. The secrets they don't want their children to know about them. The fact that they were awful.
It was heartbreaking to learn that in 1858 enslaved people were held in bondage in the White House. That four our of five presidents were slave holders. Each chapter begins with the story of a real life person enslaved in the White House, which personalizes the horrors.
We find that the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution all defended the institution of slavery.
This quote floored me, "Part of the ambient noise in Washinton, D.C's streets was the constant wails, screams, and cries of the enslaved, their anquish omnipresent."
Dealing with white lynch mobs lead to the creation of the U.S. National Guard.
Mrs. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Keckly a black woman, had an interesting "Forrest Gump" type of life that brought her into contact with many of America's most important historical figures. She wrote a book "Behind the Scenes, or Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House." I'm looking for that book.
Why did I never connect Abraham Lincoln's assasination to racism? Booth was mad as hell that in his last speech Lincoln said he'd have to give Black men voting privileges. Three days later he shot him in the back of the head.
The civil war that is brewing today is a mirror reflection of what happened in the 1800's during the first Civil War. It will be just as lop-sided. It is STILL about race. White people are still angry and hopeless. Still blaming Black people for the problem. Still believing the lies of white supremacy.
I could go on and on but I'll end with this: In 1964 Martin Luther King told a BBC repoerter that he thought there would be a Black U.S. President in forty years. That would be 2004. He was only five years off. But July 27, 2004 is when Barack Obama gave his celebrated speech at the Democratic National Convention that introduced him to the world. I think MLK nailed it!
Again, this book is not to be rushed. Read it, savor it, learn from it, be astonished by it.
It was heartbreaking to learn that in 1858 enslaved people were held in bondage in the White House. That four our of five presidents were slave holders. Each chapter begins with the story of a real life person enslaved in the White House, which personalizes the horrors.
We find that the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution all defended the institution of slavery.
This quote floored me, "Part of the ambient noise in Washinton, D.C's streets was the constant wails, screams, and cries of the enslaved, their anquish omnipresent."
Dealing with white lynch mobs lead to the creation of the U.S. National Guard.
Mrs. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Keckly a black woman, had an interesting "Forrest Gump" type of life that brought her into contact with many of America's most important historical figures. She wrote a book "Behind the Scenes, or Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House." I'm looking for that book.
Why did I never connect Abraham Lincoln's assasination to racism? Booth was mad as hell that in his last speech Lincoln said he'd have to give Black men voting privileges. Three days later he shot him in the back of the head.
The civil war that is brewing today is a mirror reflection of what happened in the 1800's during the first Civil War. It will be just as lop-sided. It is STILL about race. White people are still angry and hopeless. Still blaming Black people for the problem. Still believing the lies of white supremacy.
I could go on and on but I'll end with this: In 1964 Martin Luther King told a BBC repoerter that he thought there would be a Black U.S. President in forty years. That would be 2004. He was only five years off. But July 27, 2004 is when Barack Obama gave his celebrated speech at the Democratic National Convention that introduced him to the world. I think MLK nailed it!
Again, this book is not to be rushed. Read it, savor it, learn from it, be astonished by it.
December 27, 2017
The first 3/4 of this book is excellent. Lusane explains the birth of slavery in the new world and how the founding fathers individually dealt with it. He objectively accesses Washington and his contemporaries noting the context of their life and times but not hesitating to criticize them. Lusane pairs his chronological examination of the executive branch with interstitial stories of great black Americans that interacted with the white house as servants, guests, and political leaders. Lusane most notably analyzes the rocky road to Lincoln's evolution into the president who would abolish slavery. Lusane makes notes of comments Lincoln made that show Lincolns reluctance to attack slavery head-on and Lincoln's opinions of his black contemporaries. Lusane's writing makes me very proud of fellow Americans such as Harriet Tubman and Fredrick Douglas.
All of this objective, well researched history falls apart when we reach Lusane's recount of the USA post WW2. Unfortunately his opinions of the modern Republican party seep into his writing as he makes bold, unsupported claims such as "The Reagan Administration represented a setback for people of color, women, peace activists, working and poor people and pretty much anyone who sought economic and social fairness in the 1980's" along with saying that Clarence Thomas was "Anti-Civil rights" and that "Like many black Republican canidates, [Alan Keyes] wanted to be seen both as non-racial and still get special credit for his insights into blackness"
if Lusane could have presented his research from all angles objectively i would give this book 5/5, but in the last 125 pages of his book he presents his biased opinions where he once wrote facts in a (maybe unconscious) attempt to convince that his politics are a definitive recount of history.
All of this objective, well researched history falls apart when we reach Lusane's recount of the USA post WW2. Unfortunately his opinions of the modern Republican party seep into his writing as he makes bold, unsupported claims such as "The Reagan Administration represented a setback for people of color, women, peace activists, working and poor people and pretty much anyone who sought economic and social fairness in the 1980's" along with saying that Clarence Thomas was "Anti-Civil rights" and that "Like many black Republican canidates, [Alan Keyes] wanted to be seen both as non-racial and still get special credit for his insights into blackness"
if Lusane could have presented his research from all angles objectively i would give this book 5/5, but in the last 125 pages of his book he presents his biased opinions where he once wrote facts in a (maybe unconscious) attempt to convince that his politics are a definitive recount of history.
July 28, 2019
I liked the first half better than the second half. The second half, especially the last chapter, was about black White House cabinet members and people who ran for President. The last chapter is focused on Obama and as it was published in 2010 did not seem as relevant today in 2019. Not that it was bad, it's just that I can read a lot of this in other books. I liked the story of Oney Judge and I there is a book on my wish list about her that I am going to have to move up in priority.
May 9, 2020
Definitely a heavy read, and one that’s sat on my bookshelf since I went to City Lights in 2018 (grad school prevented me from wanting to read heavy nonfic) but such an important one. This was written in 2010, so it would certainly be interesting to see it updated for Obama’s second term and the Trump administration. But the nuances of learning about the earlier presidents and founding fathers failures to act were so interesting.
May 13, 2020
I listened to the audiobook. The book was very well researched and meticulous in detail. I liked the beginning a lot. All the pre-civil war and 19th century historical info was largely new to me. As far as flow over all, the story felt like two parts. Pre 1960’s civil rights era and after. I liked the pre civil rights part a bit better, that’s really the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars. But I think the first part of this book should be required reading in schools!
October 19, 2019
I enjoyed the history in this book. I would be interested to read a follow up chapter with the author’s reaction to the rise of Trump. However, I was surprised by the lack of copy editing. From misspelled words to incorrect names (William Harding instead of Warren Harding and Cynthia McKinley instead of McKinney), I expected a book of this caliber to be throughly edited.
July 2, 2021
I enjoyed the book and the history it included but I did feel it was too much about the Obama family. They are an important part of Black History in the White House but I was really hoping for more historical information over recent history (aka the last 10 years) especially since I realize my knowledge on this subject is lacking from the 1960’s and back.
May 1, 2021
great read about black Americans and the evolution of their acceptance by society to Colin Powel and the election of Obama very well put together book i highly reccomend this book toanyone interested in American history it's a deep dive in black people and thier impact on the country
February 24, 2022
This is not a review, this is simply a complete recommendation to read /listen to this book.
It has been my first book about black history and it was a total educational experience.
Racism is a reality. Educating ourselves on this matter is imperative.
It has been my first book about black history and it was a total educational experience.
Racism is a reality. Educating ourselves on this matter is imperative.
October 2, 2022
Great as an audio book! Informative and appropriately honest about the pros amd cons of a broad range of U.S. political figures and their role in black American history. Highlights the personal stories of many black Americans in and out of the presidential homes since the 1780s.
June 26, 2024
I liked this a lot, and it has changed my language on how I think and talk about slavery. The author has a definite point of view and often does not mince words, but it was the stiff breeze needed to clean out the stench of complacency often given to history.
September 13, 2017
Such a great history lesson about the white House and the slaves who worked there and were invited as guests
June 3, 2019
Non fiction for Black History Month
March 18, 2022
Very readable. Gives factual evidence, but still has a conversational tone.
June 13, 2022
A great book that documents the Black History in the White House. From slavery to Obama.
March 31, 2023
So much unknown to me history. A great learning experience. Scholarly
May 14, 2024
There’s a lot of history that we may never learn about. This book reveals some of it.
November 25, 2024
Great book, harrowing at times but important to read. A dense volume with a lot to absorb, but well written. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was excellent
July 28, 2012
This is a book that would coincide well with Howard Zinn's A People's History of The United States. Lusane does an excellent job at structuring individual stories within a larger sociopolitical context. In that sense, many of the narratives and details (particularly concerning the stories surrounding the slaves of the "Founding Fathers") were new to me. However, much of the more recent history - as well as its presentation - will not be new to many who are likely to gravitate to a book like this. Lusane writes from a progressive - not radical - perspective, and names specific problems that minorities and race conscious individuals are well aware of in the age of Obama. This is perhaps the book's main weakness. Readers of this kind of material will be familiar with those problems. This is not to take anything away from the author's achievement in keeping the dialogue alive. Yet the question for intellectuals of all races is how to move from the continued naming of the problem to prescriptive pragmatic solutions in an increasingly complex racial climate. Discussion seems to be more taboo not less in a country that Lusane has correctly identified as wishing itself "colorblind".
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