We Were Eight Years in Power

We Were Eight Years in Power

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Finished reading We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates, who is an affiliated faculty member and writer in residence at NYU.  This is my second read of a Coates book.  The book is a series of essays that were published each year (in the Atlantic magazine) during the presidential term of Barack Obama with an introduction written in 2017 reflecting upon it from today’s perspective.  There is a great deal to unpack in each chapter’s preface and subsequent reflection on the state of the Union (and President’s Obama’s role as president).  The book is rooted in telling the story of the fight of African Americans in the US to escape the burdens placed on the race from slavery.  He makes a strong argument throughout for reparations, not only as a result of slavery, but the centuries of policies, laws, and practices that kept black people from gaining any level of equal treatment in this country.  He provides historical examples from the 1600s through today.  So how could a black man become President of the United States?  And what happened as a result of his election?  (He is not surprised that a person who he believes epitomizes white supremacist rhetoric is now President.)  He explores the impact of Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, comedian Bill Cosby, and the Obamas on how we find our culture today.  He uses data from sociologists in discussions of: the growth of the prison system, which directly impacted black communities; poverty; housing markets; and urban sprawl.  I found the book deeply reflective on how I view race and made me more cognizant of how I carry a privilege that will not allow me to experience the pain and suffering of peer black people.  It is a book that will make whites uncomfortable, which means something…. His words have truth.  Great read and elicits a conversation with people who experience life differently because of the color of their skin.