Bonnie G.’s Reviews > White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism > Status Update

This remains a great history of desegregation in Atlanta, but continues to not link this history to modern "conservatism". I am in Atlanta as I read this. I lived here for 16 years, and I talked to many Black and White Atlantans about this history over the years. I thought I had the story straight, but the actions of many, from Hartsfield to Rich's Department Store, were whitewashed in the history I learned.

Kruse notes that John Steinbeck called the shouts and actions of parents who threw things at children integrating Southern US schools as "filthy, bestial, and degenerate." That works. I am seeing success in Krause's efforts to link this to the current segregationist mobs, the ones demanding an end to DEI, and those capitulating (most American businesses) to those filthy bestial degenerates.

The stomach-turning depiction of White Atlanta continues to enlighten this person who lived in ATL for a long time and has read extensively on the topic. I am in Atlanta for an extended stay and have recommended the book to several people already.

Dry as dust, but edifying about white flight in Atlanta. It is shocking to read about the very public efforts to maintain racial lines in housing. Less successful is the attempt to portray this as a foundation for MAGA. We can point to popular movements throughout the world and through history using racism/xenophobia/class distinction to divide and conquer. I don't see this as different.

Finally linking this moment to MAGA. Appealing to poor white trash by messaging that they deserve more for being White and attacking education and effort feels very current. People with social standing and money telling PWT that the biggest impediment to their progress is Blacks forcing their way in (then mostly for lower-priced housing stock) and Jews (for being Jewish) sounds just like Trump nation.

I lived in Atlanta for a long time, and read a lot on the political history of Georgia, but I am learning things from this. It is a scholarly tome, not written for the casual reader, and tells a real story less polished than most.