Race and Liberty in America

“It is hard to imagine a more timely book than the latest edition of Jonathan Bean’s (ed.) Race and Liberty in America. The 1st edition of Race and Liberty was released in 2009, shortly after the election of the first Black U.S. President, and presented a classically liberal view of race relations to an optimistic—almost giddy—United States. No afterglow lasts forever, and this new version drops during a more jaded and cynical time: following a decade of Black Lives Matter protests and riots, the angry ‘dissident right’ response, and the often-bombastic Trump administration. But, this makes the insights from Bean’s team more timely than ever: the book features original essays from Thomas Sowell, Coleman Hughes, Thomas Chatterton Williams, David Bernstein, and many others, on topics ranging from a stout defense of inalienable rights to a presentation of the case for truly colorblind ‘anti-racism.’ I was proud to contribute, myself.”

“Race & Liberty in America is the race and civil rights anthology we have been waiting for. In our politicized age we often think of civil rights as a movement of racial pride and identity. But Martin Luther King’s movement succeeded precisely because it used the principles of classical liberalism to shatter the idea that race or identity could be a source of entitlement. Black freedom did not come from an embrace of race; it came from the classic principles and values that finally prevailed over race. This book is a timely and necessary corrective.”

“If you are interested in the real history of the Civil Rights movement in America—the radical ideas that set it in motion no matter where they came from—get ready for an intellectual thrill ride. There is no time for political posturing here. Race & Liberty in America is full of revelations and stunning in its honesty.”

“Readers will find a wealth of information in Jonathan Bean’s outstanding book, Race & Liberty in America: The Essential Reader, a collection of primary source materials covering the great historical debates over race and ethnicity in America. Students, educators, civic leaders, and general readers can all greatly benefit from the book, drawing their own conclusions about the content, motivations, and intentions of leaders who have helped shape national policy.”

“Jonathan Bean’s book Race & Liberty in America is indeed essential reading. All too often classical liberals are attacked for their indifference or insensitivity on matters of race. This superb collection of material dispels that illusion. From the beginning of the Republic to the present day a policy of limited government and freedom of association holds the keys to racial harmony and the advancement of all Americans, regardless of their race or color.”

“Race & Liberty in America is a history buff’s dream. Jonathan Bean has carefully and judiciously chosen the most significant speeches, documents, and journalistic works pertaining to the government’s treatment of blacks from slavery to modern times. Here you can find wonderfully articulate pleas for equal treatment before the law and diabolic appeals to reject that. Throughout this book one sees the hard fought battles against a government unwilling to respect the natural law, incapable of acknowledging any limits on its power, and utterly contemptuous of the values that brought freedom and prosperity to a few. If you want a real feel for the civil rights battles your teachers and professors never taught you about, here it is.”