Summary

The book’s prologue discusses Freddie Gray. Gray grew up in an impoverished neighborhood of Baltimore. In 2015, Gray was arrested by police and died soon after. Evidence strongly suggested that Gray died due to excessive force and criminal negligence by the police. The book’s co-author, Wes Moore, reflects upon the systems of discrimination that utilize violence and economic oppression against Black Americans. Moore, who is Black and from Baltimore, managed to achieve personal success in spite of such oppression, but he is an exception to typical dynamics. Moore prefaces the book as an examination not only of the unrest following Gray’s death, but also as an exploration of the racist dynamics that continue to define American society. The book then gives a brief timeline of Gray’s life. Gray’s family struggled with poverty. Lead paint in his family’s home...