They warn us not to believe everything that we read on the internet, and the sentiment holds true for what is shared in the media.
You may have heard stories about the War on Drugs, led by President Nixon. The period started in the 1970s and drew a definitive line between different racial groups in the United States.
Esteemed author, Michelle Alexander, pinpoints this period as a pivotal moment in the history of mass incarceration.
In her book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colour-blindness” she notes that the rate of drug crime was actually *declining* instead of rising when the war was declared.
A stellar book on social justice
She compares the statistics and notes how the US incarceration rate quadrupled between 1960 and 1990. This figure was compared to countries with a similar incarceration in 1960. For example, Germany’s incarceration rate remained the same while Finland’s incarceration rate fell by 60%.
Michelle Alexander writes, “The stark and sobering reality is that, for largely unrelated to actual crime trends, the American penal system has emerged as a system of social control unparalleled in world history.”
The media played a significant role in driving the War on Drugs, using sensational headlines and single-sided narratives to inspire fear and panic.
Ultimately, it’s important to consume information conscientiously and with an open mind.
On UNESCO's World Book Day, 23 April 2022, we celebrated the power of knowledge and the written word with a recommendation.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colourblindness was written by Michelle Alexander and has been described as “The Bible of a social movement” by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The book studies the history of the United States and how racial segregation has evolved to placate those who aren’t paying attention.
Michelle opens her book with the following words, “This book is not for everyone. I have a specific audience in mind - people who care deeply about racial justice but who, for any number of reasons, do not yet appreciate the magnitude of the crisis faced by communities of colour as a result of mass incarceration.”
Add Michelle Alexander's thought-provoking book to your reading list and pick up a copy wherever you buy your books!