num_pages: 243
description: When Los Angeles burned for three days in spring 1992 in the wake of the Rodney King verdict, the sparks ignited more than buildings and cars. Combat-style reporting gave way to national debate as officials deplored 'senseless violence' and pundits saw the unravelling of civilization or deplored the shame of the cities. But why was the crisis of South Central Los Angeles visible only when backlit by flames? Amid all the sensationalized accounts of fragmented, chaotic communities, efforts of valour are seldom reported. Neither helpless nor without hope, black Angelenos go about their lives, bolstering their communities from within. Far from giving up or giving in, they persist, using anger, faith and the cold logic of experience to deal with drugs, gangs and unemployment; build churches, schools and community centres; weave together new music, films, stories.
language: English
title: No Crystal Stair: African-Americans in the City of Angels
titlecomplete: No Crystal Stair: African-Americans in the City of Angels
ratings_count: 11
publisher: Anchor Books