This is a reading of chapter 6 of the new jim crow. Even in the face of growing social and political opposition to remedial policies such as affirmative action, i clung to the notion that the evils of jim crow are behind us. Like many civil rights lawyers, i was inspired to attend law school by the civil rights victories of the 1950s and 1960s. Law enforcement has almost carte blanche to stop people in cars and in the streets all the while claiming it is not for racist reasons. Alexander begins with the story of the jena 6, six young african american boys who, pushed to the breaking point by racial slurs and taunts, beat up a white boy and were to be sentenced as adults. The new jim crow, chapter 6 is the current prison system really intended as a way to control black people, or is something more nuanced at work. Yet the war on drugs is now deeply embedded on local, state, and federal levels of government and law enforcement. It is the publics failure to care across lines of color that remains. Chapter 6 the new jim crow as we near the end of the book and we see michelle alexanders argument for mass incarceration becoming the newest form of jim crow america today, we are forced to think about plenty of things that we take for granted in our everyday lives.
If you would like to donate your copy of the new jim crow to this effort, please drop it off at the reference desk of the tompkins county public library, 101 east green street, ithaca. Michelle alexander is a civil rights advocate and litigator, winning a 2005 soros justice fellowship, and she holds a joint appointment at the moritz college of law. The new jim crow study guide contains a biography of michelle alexander, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The introduction and chapters 1 through 5 were read by someone else, but can be found at. The new jim crow is a stunning account of the rebirth of a castelike system in the united states, one that has resulted in millions of african americans locked behind bars and then relegated to a permanent secondclass statusdenied the very rights supposedly won in the civil rights movement. The new jim crow has been reopening my eyes to the modern system of enslavement that still exists in our drug war culture. The birth of jim crow the death of jim crow the birth of mass incarceration chapter 2 the lockdown. Its a mechanized system of mass incarceration that ingests people and spits out corpses with the brandished label of a criminal. The main themes in the new jim crow are racism, systemic oppression, and drug crime racism. Tinkering is for mechanics, not racialjustice advocates lets talk about raceresisting the temptation of. It has long been acknowledged that the abolition of slavery in the united states did not actually make all african americans freelet alone equaland that it is thus regrettable but predictable that jim crow.
Alexanderch5, the new jim crow university of warwick. Transformed to jim crow laws, ended with the civil rights law in 1964. Choose from 245 different sets of jim crow chapter 5 flashcards on quizlet. Since its publication in 2010, the book has appeared on the new york times bestseller list for more. The new jim crow introduction and chapter 1 summary and. Chapter 1 describes the historical transition from slavery to. Summary and analysis of michelle alexanders the new jim. A concise biography of michelle alexander plus historical and literary context for the new jim crow. In chapter 1, alexander provides a brief history of race and racism in america. She makes several other observations about the new and necessary awareness that people must develop in order to make substantial. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the new jim crow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Created by the original team behind sparknotes, litcharts are the worlds best literature guides. Chapter 5 the new jim crow states of denial how it works nothing new. Mapping the parallels the limits of the analogy chapter 6 the fire this time rethinking denialor, where are civil rights advocates when you need them. The shame also extends to family members of the incarcerated, who often lie to their communities to mitigate this shame. Welcome to the litcharts study guide on michelle alexanders the new jim crow. The book discusses racerelated issues specific to africanamerican males and mass incarceration in the united states, but alexander noted that the discrimination faced by africanamerican males is prevalent among other minorities and socioeconomically. Chapter one of the new jim crow by michelle alexander. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the new jim crow. As a white male police officer of 32 years, this book needs to be part of law enforcement training. Indeed, to end the war on drugs, racial profiling must end and the culture of law enforcement must change. The new jim crow study guide from litcharts the creators. Learn the important quotes in the new jim crow and the chapters theyre from, including why theyre important and what they mean in the context of the book.
The community read is creating community read tool kits to distribute to local libraries, schools and other organizations. One black minister said the new nword is felon, and alexander comments, todays lynching is a felony charge. Chapter summary for michelle alexanders the new jim crow, chapter 6 summary. Seldom does a book have the impact of michelle alexanders the new jim crow. In the orange riots in new york city in 1871 and 1872, catholics attacked protestant irish. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Chapter summary for michelle alexanders the new jim crow, chapter 4 summary. They were tried as juveniles, but if they were tried as adults they would have gotten harsher sentences, was also a hate crime, 6 blacks convicted of beating a white kid.
Alexander claims that the new jim crow was not written for everyone, but rather specifically addresses those who care about ending racial inequality but dont fully understand mass incarceration and how it disproportionately affects people of color. Learn jim crow chapter 5 with free interactive flashcards. Yet racial systems of oppression have adapted over time. The new jim crow chapter 6 summary and analysis gradesaver. The new jim crow chapter 4 summary and analysis gradesaver. Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness by michelle alexander. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Since it was first published in 2010, it has been cited in judicial decisions and has been adopted in campuswide and communitywide reads. Beginning in the 17th century, institutions emerged in colonial america that contributed to the creation of a racial caste system. For those readers less familiar with the narrative of american history, this tour through slavery, bacons rebellion, reconstruction, jim crow, populism, the end of jim crow through board, and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s is very instructive.
The new jim crow summary and analysis of chapter 6. Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness is a book by michelle alexander, a civil rights litigator and legal scholar. Mass incarceration is the gateway to the new jim crow, alexanders concept for understanding how black people in particular lack any real rights of citizenship. They can be stopped and searched by police for no reason and returned to. The new jim crow chapter three by michelle alexander. The new jim crow audiobook chapter one volume fixed normalized duration. It is also written for those who have been trying to persuade others about the problems of mass incarceration, but need evidence to help. Americas current racial caste system builds upon the legacy of both chattel slavery that existed in the united states prior to the civil war and on the system of jim crow laws that designated african americans to secondclass citizenship in many parts of the. Why does the success in changing the charges against the jena 6 not apply to the new jim crow. In chapter 6 of the new jim crow, michelle alexander mentions that any racial justice movement, to be successful, must vigorously challenge the public consensus that underlies the prevailing system of control 223. Chapter 6 many current civil rights groups look to the past as a way to move forward. Literacy tests, grandfather clauses and poll taxes limited black voting rights.
Racial bias permeates the american criminal justice system, affecting. Michelle alexander argues that mass incarceration of people of color in the us constitutes the newest structure of racialized social control. Alexander begins the chapter by recounting the stories of two young africanamerican parents who were wrongly implicated in a drug bust, andalthough neither end up actually being sentenced to prison timelose. Its not about you is a short introduction to the next chapter in the life and career of perhaps our greatest living self.
The birth of jim crow the death of jim crow the birth of mass incarceration chapter 2 the lockdown rules of the game unreasonable suspicion just say no poor excuse kissing frogs it pays to play waging war finders keepers the shakedown legal misrepresentation bad deal time served the prison label chapter 3 the color of justice. The new jim crow argues that the ongoing war on drugs and the resulting mass incarceration of african americans is the moral equivalent of jim crow. Written by michelle alexander, audiobook narrated by adriana sananes. Building a new jim crow community reading tool kit. Chapter two of the new jim crow by michelle alexander. The fire this time in michelle alexanders the new jim crow. What roles have prior to slavery, indentured servants was the dominant means jim crow laws were state and local laws that enforced racial the phrase law and order began as an attempt to generate wh as economic relief was needed for both poor white and black, jim crow chapter 1.