Lewis R. Gordon's Fear of Black Consciousness is a
groundbreaking account of Black consciousness by a leading
philosopher
In this original and penetrating work, Lewis R. Gordon, one of the
leading scholars of Black existentialism and anti-Blackness, takes
the reader on a journey through the historical development of
racialized Blackness, the problems this kind of consciousness
produces, and the many creative responses from Black and non-Black
communities in contemporary struggles for dignity and freedom.
Skillfully navigating a difficult and traumatic terrain, Gordon cuts
through the mist of white narcissism and the versions of
consciousness it perpetuates. He exposes the bad faith at the heart
of many discussions about race and racism not only in America but
across the globe, including those who think of themselves as color
blind. As Gordon reveals, these lies offer many white people an
inherited sense of being extraordinary, a license to do as they
please. But for many if not most Blacks, to live an ordinary life in
a white-dominated society is an extraordinary achievement.
Informed by Gordon's life growing up in Jamaica and the Bronx, and
taking as a touchstone the pandemic and the uprisings against police
violence, Fear of Black Consciousness is a groundbreaking work
that positions Black consciousness as a political commitment and
creative practice, richly layered through art, love, and
revolutionary action.