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On Account of Race: The Supreme Court, White Supremacy, and the Ravaging of African American Voting Rights
Award-winning constitutional law historian, Lawrence Goldstone examines case-based evidence to reveal the court's longstanding support for white supremacy (often under the guise of "states rights") and how that bias has allowed the court to solidify its position as arguably the most powerful branch of the federal government.
Beginning in 1876, the Court systematically dismantled both the equal protection guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment, at least for African-Americans, and what seemed to be the guarantee of the right to vote in the Fifteenth. And so, of the more than 500,000 African-Americans who had registered to vote across the South, the vast majority former slaves, by 1906, less than ten percent remained. Many of those were terrified to go the polls, lest they be beaten, murdered, or have their homes burned to the ground. None of this was done in the shadows--those determined to wrest the vote from black Americans could not have been more boastful in either intent or execution. But the Court chose to ignore the obvious and wrote decisions at odds with the Constitution, preferring to instead reinforce the racial stereotypes of the day.
On Account Of Race tells the story of an American tragedy, the only occasion in United States history in which a group of citizens who had been granted the right to vote then had it stripped away. Even more unjust was that this theft of voting rights was done with full approval, even the sponsorship, of the United States Supreme Court.
Beginning in 1876, the Court systematically dismantled both the equal protection guarantees of the Fourteenth Amendment, at least for African-Americans, and what seemed to be the guarantee of the right to vote in the Fifteenth. And so, of the more than 500,000 African-Americans who had registered to vote across the South, the vast majority former slaves, by 1906, less than ten percent remained. Many of those were terrified to go the polls, lest they be beaten, murdered, or have their homes burned to the ground. None of this was done in the shadows--those determined to wrest the vote from black Americans could not have been more boastful in either intent or execution. But the Court chose to ignore the obvious and wrote decisions at odds with the Constitution, preferring to instead reinforce the racial stereotypes of the day.
On Account Of Race tells the story of an American tragedy, the only occasion in United States history in which a group of citizens who had been granted the right to vote then had it stripped away. Even more unjust was that this theft of voting rights was done with full approval, even the sponsorship, of the United States Supreme Court.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2020
29 people are currently reading
831 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Goldstone
45 books199 followersLawrence Goldstone is the author of fourteen books of both fiction and non-fiction. Six of those books were co-authored with his wife, Nancy, but they now write separately to save what is left of their dishes.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshire Eagle. He has also written for a number of magazines that have gone bust, although he denies any cause and effect.
His first novel, Rights, won a New American Writing Award but he now cringes at its awkward prose. (Anatomy of Deception and The Astronomer are much better.)
Despite a seemingly incurable tendency to say what's on his mind (thus mortifying Nancy), Goldstone has been widely interviewed on both radio and television, with appearances on, among others, "Fresh Air" (NPR), "To the Best of Our Knowledge" (NPR), "The Faith Middleton Show" (NPR), "Tavis Smiley" (PBS), and Leonard Lopate (WNYC). His work has also been profiled in The New York Times, The Toronto Star, numerous regional newspapers, Salon, and Slate.
Goldstone holds a PhD in American Constitutional Studies from the New School. His friends thus call him DrG, although he can barely touch the rim. (Sigh. Can't make a layup anymore either.) He and his beloved bride founded and ran an innovative series of parent-child book groups, which they documented in Deconstructing Penguins. He has also been a teacher, lecturer, senior member of a Wall Street trading firm, taxi driver, actor, quiz show contestant, and policy analyst at the Hudson Institute.
He is a unerring stock picker. Everything he buys instantly goes down.
Goldstone's articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have appeared in, among other publications, the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Hartford Courant, and Berkshire Eagle. He has also written for a number of magazines that have gone bust, although he denies any cause and effect.
His first novel, Rights, won a New American Writing Award but he now cringes at its awkward prose. (Anatomy of Deception and The Astronomer are much better.)
Despite a seemingly incurable tendency to say what's on his mind (thus mortifying Nancy), Goldstone has been widely interviewed on both radio and television, with appearances on, among others, "Fresh Air" (NPR), "To the Best of Our Knowledge" (NPR), "The Faith Middleton Show" (NPR), "Tavis Smiley" (PBS), and Leonard Lopate (WNYC). His work has also been profiled in The New York Times, The Toronto Star, numerous regional newspapers, Salon, and Slate.
Goldstone holds a PhD in American Constitutional Studies from the New School. His friends thus call him DrG, although he can barely touch the rim. (Sigh. Can't make a layup anymore either.) He and his beloved bride founded and ran an innovative series of parent-child book groups, which they documented in Deconstructing Penguins. He has also been a teacher, lecturer, senior member of a Wall Street trading firm, taxi driver, actor, quiz show contestant, and policy analyst at the Hudson Institute.
He is a unerring stock picker. Everything he buys instantly goes down.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 25, 2021
I anticipated this book for months since I am a fan of Goldstone. With his usual passion for justice, Goldstone wrote this book on the 19th Century SCOTUS, taking apart their arguments that barred African Americans from achieving their rights that had been guaranteed by the Constitution, It is a short book that contains a lot of information. Cases involving the Reconstruction Amendments are summarized, and the decisions by the Court examined. I highly recommend this book for its information, the passion of Goldstone, and its very readable content. It can be read by scholars or just people interested in the issue. Understand though, that Goldstone has a bias, justifiable in my opinion, but it taints the book slightly. For example, should the scholar really refer to Hayes as His Fraudulence?
June 27, 2020
How White Supremacists Gained Control Via The Supreme Court
This is a tough read, very academic but very important read. It goes over how Southern Whites steadily reclaimed their power in the US government and through the Supreme Court was steadily were able to mold laws federally and rewrite their state constitutions, which they had been forced to rewrite during Reconstruction. The most effective thing they did was convince the Supreme Court that while the post civil war amendments were federal, the states had the right to run elections and determine who votes. Can’t vil Rights laws were found unconstitutional if they put the “black race” above other citizens. Not supporting the people who were former slaves left the people subjected to the same people who enslaved them without federal assistance. The book gave me more insight into how “conservative “ nominees to the courts use specific language for their decisions that sound not react based while knowing the full effect of their decisions will affect minorities.
This is a tough read, very academic but very important read. It goes over how Southern Whites steadily reclaimed their power in the US government and through the Supreme Court was steadily were able to mold laws federally and rewrite their state constitutions, which they had been forced to rewrite during Reconstruction. The most effective thing they did was convince the Supreme Court that while the post civil war amendments were federal, the states had the right to run elections and determine who votes. Can’t vil Rights laws were found unconstitutional if they put the “black race” above other citizens. Not supporting the people who were former slaves left the people subjected to the same people who enslaved them without federal assistance. The book gave me more insight into how “conservative “ nominees to the courts use specific language for their decisions that sound not react based while knowing the full effect of their decisions will affect minorities.
August 7, 2022
"RACIST RULINGS WITH A WINK AND A NOD"
‘On Account of Race’ only touches upon the Supreme Court’s boneheaded 2013 ruling in Shelby County vs. Holder that gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and opened the floodgates for racist Republican-controlled states to suppress minority votes. Boy oh boy, Texas, Florida, and other Southern and Midwestern states didn’t hesitate in disenfranchising even more blacks than they already had. But even before the Supreme Court took a dump on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Southern states had used various “legal” techniques to block black voter participation. ‘On Account of Race’ explains through key court cases how the lower courts and the Supreme Court went along with blatantly racist laws. They are the legal foundation of why our voting system is the sadistic Rube Goldberg contraption we have today. Mr. Goldstone ignores present-day voter-suppression shenanigans under the Roberts Court.
There is no finer example of systemic racism in America today than the way racists bend over backwards to restrict voting rights for minorities. The author explains the skullduggery used by Republicans in getting the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments passed and ratified. Strong-arming the South was absolutely necessary or we’d probably STILL be no closer to passing the three pivotal amendments. Until President Lyndon Johnson was able to get the Voting Rights Act passed, the Democratic Party was the home of racists. The Republicans used to be the party of inclusion until they not only welcomed with open arms Southern racists that abandoned the Democrats in the 1960s, it became a major part of their Southern strategy. ‘On Account of Race’ also covers such events as the birth of the Ku Klux Klan; the creation and ultimate failure of Reconstruction; tactics used to disenfranchise black voters, much of it by violent means and intimidation; how the amendments are political compromises and, therefore, are filled with vague meanings and subject to different interpretations; how the Supreme Court justices have used sophistry to reach their already preconceived conclusions; preventing blacks from being on juries; how violence and intimidation were commonly used against blacks and their supporters; and discrimination towards Chinese immigrants. The book has harsh derogatory labels for blacks and Chinese that were commonly used during the time periods covered.
As I’ve repeatedly said over the years, the Civil War never really ended. We are still struggling with achieving equal rights for blacks and other minorities because of racists’ fears. The events and cases covered mostly take place in the South for obvious reasons. True democracy and equal representation in the South is currently still a farce. ‘On Account of Race’ gives a concise, easy-to-read explanation. If anything, you’ll understand that all judges are not pinnacles of pure logic and sound judgment. There are many cases where the Supreme Court saw a law that looked like a racist duck, walked like a racist duck, sounded like a racist duck, and they ruled it was a harmless unicorn.
(P.S. If you are looking to expand your understanding on how and why blacks were thrown to the wayside in their pursuit of civil rights, I highly recommend 'Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory' by David W. Blight)
‘On Account of Race’ only touches upon the Supreme Court’s boneheaded 2013 ruling in Shelby County vs. Holder that gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and opened the floodgates for racist Republican-controlled states to suppress minority votes. Boy oh boy, Texas, Florida, and other Southern and Midwestern states didn’t hesitate in disenfranchising even more blacks than they already had. But even before the Supreme Court took a dump on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Southern states had used various “legal” techniques to block black voter participation. ‘On Account of Race’ explains through key court cases how the lower courts and the Supreme Court went along with blatantly racist laws. They are the legal foundation of why our voting system is the sadistic Rube Goldberg contraption we have today. Mr. Goldstone ignores present-day voter-suppression shenanigans under the Roberts Court.
There is no finer example of systemic racism in America today than the way racists bend over backwards to restrict voting rights for minorities. The author explains the skullduggery used by Republicans in getting the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments passed and ratified. Strong-arming the South was absolutely necessary or we’d probably STILL be no closer to passing the three pivotal amendments. Until President Lyndon Johnson was able to get the Voting Rights Act passed, the Democratic Party was the home of racists. The Republicans used to be the party of inclusion until they not only welcomed with open arms Southern racists that abandoned the Democrats in the 1960s, it became a major part of their Southern strategy. ‘On Account of Race’ also covers such events as the birth of the Ku Klux Klan; the creation and ultimate failure of Reconstruction; tactics used to disenfranchise black voters, much of it by violent means and intimidation; how the amendments are political compromises and, therefore, are filled with vague meanings and subject to different interpretations; how the Supreme Court justices have used sophistry to reach their already preconceived conclusions; preventing blacks from being on juries; how violence and intimidation were commonly used against blacks and their supporters; and discrimination towards Chinese immigrants. The book has harsh derogatory labels for blacks and Chinese that were commonly used during the time periods covered.
As I’ve repeatedly said over the years, the Civil War never really ended. We are still struggling with achieving equal rights for blacks and other minorities because of racists’ fears. The events and cases covered mostly take place in the South for obvious reasons. True democracy and equal representation in the South is currently still a farce. ‘On Account of Race’ gives a concise, easy-to-read explanation. If anything, you’ll understand that all judges are not pinnacles of pure logic and sound judgment. There are many cases where the Supreme Court saw a law that looked like a racist duck, walked like a racist duck, sounded like a racist duck, and they ruled it was a harmless unicorn.
(P.S. If you are looking to expand your understanding on how and why blacks were thrown to the wayside in their pursuit of civil rights, I highly recommend 'Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory' by David W. Blight)
May 9, 2020
Excellent book!!!
June 24, 2020
The voting privileges, along with many other rights and privileges for black people, have been suppressed and challenged for so long. The concept of white supremacy is still around. What must happen for things to change? This is an interesting book about voting rights and suppression and the courts. I learned a lot. Definitely worth reading.
June 26, 2020
Unfortunately, I cannot do justice for this book in a review. It is relevant to US History, and details the plight of African-Americans from 1865 to the 2016 election and beyond.
Lawrence Goldstone’s “On Account of Race: the Supreme Court, White Supremacy, and the Ravaging of African-American Voting Rights,” describes the significance of the Reconstruction Amendments, court cases, constitutions, and statutes, and the manner in which they were exploited and manipulated to disfranchise African-Americans.
Goldstone provides strategies used by the former Confederate states, such as the grandfather clause, to exact revenge on the formerly enslaved who were now politically empowered and voting.
“On Account of Race,” as mentioned in the title, examines how race was used to rig the vote for the Whites in the Democratic party in order to uphold the power of property-holding White men, and, in some instances, elect former Confederates.
Lawrence Goldstone’s “On Account of Race: the Supreme Court, White Supremacy, and the Ravaging of African-American Voting Rights,” describes the significance of the Reconstruction Amendments, court cases, constitutions, and statutes, and the manner in which they were exploited and manipulated to disfranchise African-Americans.
Goldstone provides strategies used by the former Confederate states, such as the grandfather clause, to exact revenge on the formerly enslaved who were now politically empowered and voting.
“On Account of Race,” as mentioned in the title, examines how race was used to rig the vote for the Whites in the Democratic party in order to uphold the power of property-holding White men, and, in some instances, elect former Confederates.
June 18, 2020
This is definitely a heavier read, but it contains a lot of history that was never covered in school
June 7, 2020
A look at Supreme Court cases involving race and the 13-15th amendments to the Constitutions during the 60 years after the Civil War. After reconstruction Southern states looked to keep the power of their population numbers by disenfranchising the right of the newly freed African Americans to vote "legally," as apposed to bald faced intimidation, torture, and murder through laws that didn't mention race but could be applied to keep blacks out of the voting booth. I found the behind the scenes work of Booker T. Washington in the face of criticism from all sides uplifting, while the actions of Oliver Wendel Holmes, Jr on one of his first Supreme Court opinions Giles v. Harris (1903) particularly disheartening. As tortured as some of the schemes look to my eyes the Supreme Court spent these years predominantly allowing this type of wrong but "legal" disenfranchisement to occur, a lesson that should not be lost on all American citizens as well at the Courts of today, particularly in light of the current political situation.
July 9, 2021
I listened to a 9h 34m audiobook edition of this book from scribed dot com. Apparently the book worship of liberals can be described as textualist. Understanding now how communication will always have noise (that is the Overton window gets affected by the action mechanisms of the economy, employment, availability of resources like food & water & shelter) is a bit awkward because as a trans girl people considered my existence as absurd & were still bullying my mom for having a job outside the home. So yeah it's a bit weird.
But yeah, this is an important book because it helps show how language of the Overton Window changed to say the least how the culture vs law debate is divided on the wrong lines, when it's really de jure de facto & material base + sjperculture. It's also important because it helps emphasize how the right to vote is very fragile. Quite bluntly 2 takes: northern korea's voting system looks like some of the ones mentioned in here, and 2 even though she was racist & capitalist,Ruth Bader Ginsberg was like until we have a SCOTUS that's entirely non-men for 2 centuries then we cannot say equality is achieved. Similarly for other topics of racist oppression such as juries & who crime & disenfranchisement affects. Or we could scrap the whole thing & let the oppressed communities take charge.
I guess I'll go for ten strikes in USA history & when affirmative action was white, next, or else whatever other books I have currently reading
But yeah, this is an important book because it helps show how language of the Overton Window changed to say the least how the culture vs law debate is divided on the wrong lines, when it's really de jure de facto & material base + sjperculture. It's also important because it helps emphasize how the right to vote is very fragile. Quite bluntly 2 takes: northern korea's voting system looks like some of the ones mentioned in here, and 2 even though she was racist & capitalist,Ruth Bader Ginsberg was like until we have a SCOTUS that's entirely non-men for 2 centuries then we cannot say equality is achieved. Similarly for other topics of racist oppression such as juries & who crime & disenfranchisement affects. Or we could scrap the whole thing & let the oppressed communities take charge.
I guess I'll go for ten strikes in USA history & when affirmative action was white, next, or else whatever other books I have currently reading
July 31, 2020
This seemed like an important and relevant read, especially right now. With the 2020 election not far off, concerns about voting by mail, ballot access, the death of Congressman John Lewis, etc. this seemed like an important read. Author Goldstone takes the reader case by case as he outlines the arguments and the impacts they had.
While it is an important read, I will agree that it's a tough one. I hadn't realize it was a bunch of course cases and this reminded me, once again, why I decided law school was not for me. It also reminded me, as others said, of the history I don't think was even touched upon in my education, even at a high school or college level.
Would imagine this would be a book you'd find on law school and/or maybe advanced undergraduate courses. Also might make for a good general reference if you want to know more but be aware that it's academic, rather lawyer-y and not really a layperson read.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
While it is an important read, I will agree that it's a tough one. I hadn't realize it was a bunch of course cases and this reminded me, once again, why I decided law school was not for me. It also reminded me, as others said, of the history I don't think was even touched upon in my education, even at a high school or college level.
Would imagine this would be a book you'd find on law school and/or maybe advanced undergraduate courses. Also might make for a good general reference if you want to know more but be aware that it's academic, rather lawyer-y and not really a layperson read.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
December 21, 2021
This is a remarkable and timely book written for the general public but of particular interest to those concerned about the current issues of racism, white supremacy, and the new reactionary majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. The author has deeply researched how the idealism and hope for equality and justice at the end of the Civil War was turned into the despair and broken promises of the Jim Crow era. The author focuses brilliantly on the role of the Supreme Court in aiding and abetting the efforts of the former Confederate states as they schemed and plotted to deny Black Americans and former slaves their newly won rights, and to re-establish white supremacy in the region that lasted until the passage of the 1965 Civil Rights Act. We can easily see the parallels of today's voter suppression and gerrymandering efforts from the history of the post-Reconstruction era.
November 3, 2020
Have you ever read a book that you just "needed" to finish as soon as possible. I would describe this book in this category. The book was well-written, but discouraging to read. I have read a lot of 19th century American history, but not much about the reconstruction period. I was not familiar with the Supreme Courts inaction that led to the South's ability to implement Jim Crow. It was a timely relevant but disheartening read. I am challenged to learn more about the history of the Supreme Court, and the 20th century Civil Rights Movement. Unfortunately and purposely, the book ends on a very sour note!
November 11, 2020
I am appalled that African Americans are essentially fighting the same fight to gain the right to vote and overcome active voter suppression and disenfranchisement when it comes to electing their representation. This Supreme Court has been a supreme disappointment when it comes to evaluating laws such as these and the most recent decision of the modern scotus and their weakening the Civil Rights Act of 1964 will hopefully not erode our fellow citizens right and access to vote any further.
May 31, 2020
There is probably no better time for a book like this to come out. This is a very good analysis on a case by case basis for how the Supreme Court enabled the southern states to deny former slaves the full rights of citizenship. I think the average American has no idea how negligent the Supreme Court actually was.
* I received this as a free ARC in exchange for an fair review.
* I received this as a free ARC in exchange for an fair review.
October 12, 2020
This is an academic look at court cases related to the 13-15 amendments. It is a good look at how personal and human driven this kinds of decisions are. It makes me wonder, why do we continue to believe that the courts are apolitical or a force for good?
August 30, 2020
Very well written and very informative.
January 4, 2022
one of those books everyone ought to read, required reading for any student of U.S. government. It demonstrates how impactful the SCOTUS has been on the lives of black America. A must read.
October 28, 2022
Deeply researched and thoughtfully presented. This is our history and it seems, as of the current political environment, that we are doomed to repeat these egregious acts.
May 30, 2023
The only things that have changed are the words used and the tactics to keep Blacks from voting. Ver good historical reading.
May 5, 2025
Worthwhile, and valuable, read today in 2025. We take for granted rights that many never had. And we may lose them, yet.
January 28, 2025
This was a difficult book. I was incensed, not by the writer’s words, because he wrote clearly and fairly. It was the injustice documented in this book that draws my ire. For reality deniers, I personally fact-checked against documents from the time, including the court decisions.
If I stand silent when my brother is slain, who will stand for me?
If I stand silent when my brother is slain, who will stand for me?
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews