Description: Black conservatism is no oxymoron. Recent polls have indicated that an increasing number of black Americans identified themselves as conservatives, favoring smaller government, lower taxes, tougher crime laws, welfare reform, and personal initiative. While applauding the moral and legal victories of the Civil Rights Movement, the conservative spokespeople in this dynamic new collection reject the claims of inequities and what they consider to the self-serving agenda of the present civil rights establishment. National leaders such as Justice Clarence Thomas and former Representative Gary Franks and writers such as Shelby Steele and Glenn Loury appear either as contributors or as subjects in this volume. They emphasize the grassroots aspects of black conservatism with a reliance on common sense and common humanity.
Review Quotes: "This useful collection contains 25 short pieces by 26 conservative African Americans, including Justice Clarence Thomas, Shelby Steele, and Gary Franks. The contributors include journalists and writers, lawyers, economists, a community organizer, philosophers, a social worker, a teacher, and others.... A major focus is the political centrality of individualism. The pieces are clearly written and maintain a tone that is reasoned and positive.... Highly recommmended for public, college, and university libraries."-Choice