Chris Hayes

Chris Hayes is a reporter for MSNBC and the author of this book. His personal and professional experiences play a significant role in the narrative. Hayes grew up in New York City during the city’s crack epidemic and violent crime spike. He states that he often experienced genuine feelings of fear and discomfort as a young New Yorker, but admits that he was far less threatened than his black counterparts. While returning to New York as an adult, Hayes has noted significant changes in the city, stating that it is much more orderly and that he experiences significantly less fear. As a reporter, Hayes covered protests in Ferguson and Baltimore following the deaths of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, exposing him to the conditions of subjugation experienced by black Americans. Throughout the book, Hayes openly admits that he, as a white man, benefits from the...