On Critical Race Theory

Why It Matters & Why You Should Care

By: Victor Ray

Narrated by: James Fouhey

Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

What exactly is critical race theory? This concise and accessible exploration demystifies a crucial framework for understanding and fighting racial injustice in the United States.

“A clear-eyed, expert field guide.”—Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom, author of Thick

From renowned scholar Dr. Victor Ray, On Critical Race Theory explains the centrality of race in American history and politics, and how the often mischaracterized intellectual movement became a political necessity.

Ray draws upon the radical thinking of giants such as Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to clearly trace the foundations of critical race theory in the Black intellectual traditions of emancipation and the civil rights movement. From these foundations, Ray explores the many facets of our society that critical race theory interrogates, from deeply embedded structural racism to the historical connection between whiteness and property, ownership, and more.

In succinct, thoughtful essays, Ray presents, analyzes, and breaks down the scholarship and concepts that constitute this often misconstrued term. He explores how the conversation on critical race theory has expanded into the contemporary popular conscience, showing why critical race theory matters and why we should all care.

©2022 Victor Ray (P)2022 Random House Audio

Highly recommend this title

This not very long treatise on critical race theory provides a great overview of the topic and is well supported by examples and stories. If you’re someone who doesn’t think you ought to read it then perhaps you should.

Excellent

I was in search of a book to help me better understand CRT and this book did an excellent job. Well narrated and easy to understand. Thank you!

Essential reading for patriots

Every American should read this book, search their heart, and then roll up their sleeves

Must read to level up knowledge

If you have already read the standard recommended starter books on racism in America and are looking to level up, you must read this. I wasn't ready in my k owledge to jump to the Foundational texts establishing conceptions of Critical race theory, intersectionality, etc...so this was a great next step. You will also have much more understanding of what critical racism actually is and isn't.

An exemplary work

This is an example of how academics SHOULD address complex and misunderstood high-level questions.

Makes me want to read more on this

I found it Helpful for the overview of the theory but Unhelpful at the same time in terms of selling critical race theory

Save 4- hours of time

I picked this book out specifically to learn more about what critical race theory was and was not. My expectation was to have a scholarly discussion presenting empirical findings and thoughts on the topic. Instead, 95% of the book discussed how all institutions in general and White people specificity, are different racist and work together to create a harder life for people of color.

There is no empirical work published in the book, although there are a few scholarly articles cherry picked at different points. Most of these he quotes and citations though are pulled from WEB De Bois and other sources early Civil Rights pioneers, discussing a time generations ago.

The author also makes the assertion that racism is the sole reason for any disparity in outcomes between groups, which is a oversimplification of individual characteristics and group differences.

The 5% of the book that actually discusses Critical Race Theory does so through then lens of the other 95%. There are some great books on historical and current racial issues in the United States; this is simply not one them.