What is the author's tone in the nonfiction book, A Colony in a Nation?

Hayes generally adopts a straightforward, somewhat conversational tone. While the issue of systemic racism has been studied and written about extensively, Hayes’s work is aimed at a general audience. The reader is expected to be familiar with current events, but not necessarily the extensive scholarship and commentary on this issue. Hayes is clearly opinionated on this subject. He argues forcefully that the current relationship between white and minority communities in the United States is unjust and unacceptable. Simultaneously, he does not attack the reader or any individuals directly. The book does not provide specific ways for individuals to improve themselves, but rather seeks to understand the broad trends that have shaped modern American society.