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It is also not possible for Coates to seek escape in religion, because his parents raised him to distrust the “mysteries” of the church.

While the streets pose a threat to the young Coates, he is further constricted by the schools he attends, which seek to discipline black children rather than help them learn and grow. Coates recalls the violence that surrounded him in his youth, and observes that although the young people he grew up with often claimed to “own” the streets, in reality the world around them was far beyond their control. As a result, black people live in a constant state of fear, knowing that their bodies are always at risk of destruction. Although we commonly think of the American Dream as an innocent pursuit of success and happiness, in reality this Dream cannot be unbound from violence against African Americans. These murders demonstrate the fact that the destruction of black people’s bodies is part of the fabric of American society, and is a key component of the (American) Dream. When President Lincoln declared that the US would be ruled by a “government of the people,” African Americans were not included in the category of personhood.Ĭoates is writing in the context of the recent racist murders of Eric Garner, Renisha McBride, John Crawford, and Mike Brown. Coates reflects on the fact that white American progress has been constructed through the exploitation and oppression of black people, and that even though Americans “deify” democracy, this is hypocritical because the country has never truly been a democratic nation. He describes a time when he is speaking on a talk show and is asked to explain what it means to lose his body. Coates begins the book with a direct address to his son, Samori.