"White Poverty" Promises to be One of the Most Influential Books in Recent Years
01 Aug 2024
One of the most pernicious and persistent myths in the United States is the association of Black skin with poverty. Though there are 40 million more poor white people than Black people, most Americans, both Republicans and Democrats, continue to think of poverty―along with issues like welfare, unemployment and food stamps―as solely a Black problem. Why is this so? What are the historical causes? And what are the political consequences that result? These are among the questions that APB Exclusive Speaker the Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II, a leading advocate for the rights of the poor and the “closest person we have to Dr. King” (Dr. Cornel West), addresses in White Poverty, his groundbreaking new book that exposes a legacy of historical myths that continue to define both white and Black people, creating in the process what might seem like an insuperable divide.
Analyzing what has changed since the 1930s, when the face of American poverty was white, Barber, along with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, addresses white poverty as a hugely neglected subject that just might provide the key to mitigating racism and bringing together tens of millions of working class and impoverished Americans.
About the Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
A highly sought-after speaker, Bishop Barber has lectured at thousands of events, is featured regularly in several top media outlets and has received several awards for his incredible work. He serves as President of Repairers of the Breach, Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, Executive Board Member of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Professor in the Practice of Public Theology and Public Policy, Founding Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School and Co-Chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival.