Black resistance, white law
Subtitle: a history of constitutional racism in America
By: Mary Frances Berry.
Publisher: A. Lane, Penguin Press
Published: 1994
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 319
Subjects: African Americans -- Civil rights.; African Americans -- History.; African Americans -- Legal status, laws, etc.
Description: Unavailable for a decade, now completely updated to the 1990s, this landmark book is a powerful indictment of federal use of the Constitution to maintain a racist status quo. Constitutional scholar Mary Frances Berry analyzes the reasons why millions of African Americans whose lives have improved enormously, both socially and economically, are still at risk of police abuse and largely unprotected from bias crimes.

From the arrival of the first twenty slaves in Jamestown in 1619 through the founding of the nation, from the Civil War and Reconstruction to the Reagan-Bush years and the Howard Beach, Yusef Hawkins, and Rodney King incidents, federal law enforcement has pleaded lack of authority against white violence while endorsing surveillance of black rebels and using "constitutional" military force against them.

Whether by action or inaction, the national government has used the Constitution to deny blacks their effective legal rights. The recent upsurge in racial intimidation and violence makes this completely revised and expanded edition of Black Resistance/White Law essential reading
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 289-294) and indexes.