The End of Anger“From a venerated and bestselling voice on American life comes a contemporary look at the decline of black rage; the demise of white guilt; and the intergenerational shifts in how blacks and whites view, and interact with, each other. Combining the talents earned from a lifetime in journalism with the insights and thoughtfulness of a close observer of the American experience, renowned author Ellis Cose offers a fresh, original appraisal of our nation at this extraordinary time, tracking the diminishment of black anger and investigating the “generational shifting of the American mind.” Read More
The Rage of a Privileged Class
“The Rage of a Privileged Class” is a revelatory, highly original exploration of a neglected aspect of our nation’s greatest and most enduring problem. With measured eloquence, Ellis Cose shows that even for the black middle class, which has worked hard and played by the rules, the American dream is still a dream deferred. Read More
“The Envy of the World” details, with the aid of real-world anecdotes, the particular ways black men come to internalize the disdain and fear directed at them by American society. Even as he frankly contends with such dire issues as drug abuse, incarceration, criminal activity, misogyny, and chronic economic inequality, Cose also considers the significance of the progress that has been made, particularly in recent decades. Read More
Is a truly race-neutral society possible? Can the United States wipe the slate clean and surmount the racism of its past? Or is color blindness just another name for denial? Drawing on the experiences of South Africa and Latin America, Cose illustrates why it has been impossible for the Unties States to move directly from race relations hell (where discrimination is sanctioned and animosity flows freely) to race relations utopia (where discrimination is condemned and a race-neutral society prevails) without passing through a purgatory where legal barriers have been dripped but racial misunderstandings and ingrained prejudices persist. With the concrete solutions of a true visionary, Cose concludes by offering twelve steps toward the society of Dr. Kings dream, presenting America with a powerful challenge to achieve its true potential.
Anecdotally rich, analytically powerful, and completely original in approach, Color-Blind is a penetrating and thought provoking book. Read More
Bone to Pick: Of Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Reparation, and Revenge
Choose how life goes, is a popular saying, expressing a sentiment that is undeniably noble and good. Yet in fact, we have little choice in the matter. For life is a gift-one that chooses us. Our decision is in what we do with that life, with how we endeavor to lead it-with how tenaciously, and wisely, we defend it; with how well we cope with its tragedies and hardships. Bone to Pick provides an eloquent and engaging analysis of the process of forgiveness and reconciliation that is central to the human experience. Read More
The Best DefenseJustice isn’t always Black and white. Cutthroat defense attorney and rising celebrity Felicia Fontaine is about to tackle her biggest –and seemingly most unwinnable — case yet, defending a white businessman accused of killing an office rival, a Hispanic man promoted over him. With her reputation and confidence on the line, the every-savvy Felicia needs to watch her every step to successfully get through this controversial case dubbed the “Affirmative Action Murder” by a salacious press… Read more
A Man’s WorldUsing the combination of interviews, reportage and analysis that distinguished his critically acclaimed The Rage of a Privileged Class, Ellis Cose investigates this growing problem and puts it into context, providing men and women with a reasoned and informative guide to navigating an increasingly bewildering world. More than simply a look at the modern male psyche, “A Man’s World” provides provocative answers to these questions and many more. Read More
Killing Affirmative Action: Would it Really Result in a Better, More Perfect Union?
Midterm elections and pending Supreme Court decisions have brought particular attention to affirmative action, which is at a pivotal moment in its evolution. Chronicling that moment is Ellis Cose, a Newsweek columnist and author, in his new study “Killing Affirmative Action,” published by the Institute for Justice and Journalism (IJJ) at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication. Read More
Beyond Brown v. Board: The Final Battle for Excellence in American Education
In May 2004 the Rockefeller Foundation issued “Beyond Brown v. Board: The Final Battle for Excellence in American Education” – a major report authored by Cose on the legacy of the historic Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation decision and the current challenges facing American educators. The report was the basis of a Newsweek cover feature and the basis for a David Broder column and other stories in the national press.
Beyond Brown v. Board is available as a bound volume from the Rockefeller Foundation.