The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Sellers, Bakari. My Vanishing Country. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2020.

My Vanishing Country is a memoir by lawyer, politician, commentator, and activist Bakari Sellers. Bakari grew up in Denmark, South Carolina, which is a rural, predominantly black, relatively impoverished town. Bakari’s parents were well educated, but they sometimes had difficulty supporting their family. Bakari’s childhood and youth in Denmark, SC showed him the problematic prevalence of poverty and of racial inequality in the United States.

Bakari’s father, Cleveland Sellers, was active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. In February of 1968, he led a peaceful anti-segregation demonstration in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Police officers attacked the protesters with lethal force, killing three and injuring 28. Despite evidence that the attack was planned, and that the police were specifically attempting to kill Cleveland, no police officers were convicted of crimes. Meanwhile, Cleveland was falsely convicted of attempting to incite violence. Bakari sees his father as an inspiration to continue fighting for racial equality in America.

Bakari attended a relatively underfunded high school, but his parents’ emphasis on education compelled him to study hard. He received an acceptance to Morehouse College, the alma mater of Martin Luther King, Jr. During his college years, he became interested in politics, and he was active in student government. Immediately after graduating from college, he began a campaign for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. His opponent, an 82-year-old white man named Thomas Rhoad, had held the seat for 20 years. Through hard work and optimism, Bakari managed to win the election. He was sworn into the state legislature at age 22, making him the youngest black elected official in the country.

Bakari began attending law school while serving in the legislature. He was sometimes frustrated by political gridlock in the state government, but he received valuable mentorship from older, more experienced legislators. In 2007, Bakari endorsed Barack Obama for U.S. President. Bakari was an active and enthusiastic campaigner for Obama, and he felt deeply gratified by Obama’s victory. In 2014, Bakari left the state legislature and decided to run for the position of lieutenant governor. Despite warnings that it was nearly impossible for a Democrat to win a statewide position in South Carolina, Bakari remained determined. Unfortunately, he lost, but he was heartened by the fact that he managed to win 41% of the vote.

Bakari briefly discusses ideas related to mental health. Since he was 11 years old, he has had chronic anxiety. He hopes that his own openness about mental health will encourage a further culture of openness and understanding regarding such issues. Bakari then discusses modern manifestations of cultural and institutional racism, such as the tragic incident in which an armed white supremacist killed nine people at a predominantly black church in Charleston, South Carolina. He also discusses the ways in which black Americans have significantly less access to sufficient medical care than white Americans. Bakari advocates for universal healthcare, which will benefit all Americans. Lastly, Bakari discusses the current state of the country. He highlights the urgent need to address the dynamics of racism that have persistently shaped American culture and politics.