Review of Newark: A History of Race, Rights, and Riots in America (American History and Culture) (Hardcover)

The city of Newark's story is, in a few ways, not unlike that of many post-Reconstruction, pre-Civil Rights movement Northeastern United States cities. Though not rife with bigotry as the South, such municipalities were not especially hospitable to African-Americans. What makes this New Jersey metropolis unique is the fact Black residents chose to become an electoral powerhouse in the spirit of ethnic minorities which had done the same thing before them. Though the explosive rebellions are the backdrop for this book, African-American political activism, the knotty alliances it created, and the aftermath of those efforts in a post-Civil Rights era are at the core of this book.

Mumford helps you understand the city of Newark and its tradition of African-American civic involvement by detailing the role of those most would consider militants in leading insurrectionist as well as mainstream efforts. Inevitably, the Newark clashes of old take center stage. But, more importantly, Mumford is intent on telling readers what happened before the uprisings, and after.

The author pens a colorful read, whose personalities leap off the page. Whether it's the poet turned radical messiah Amiri Baraka, white establishment types or the tangles for leadership of a burgeoning voting bloc, Mumford's book is an astute, opinionated primer on a slice on Newark's political pedigree. From the city's early days, where African-Americans fought for recognition and dignity, to their ascension to elected office in the midst of the Black Power movement, and then through countless though crucial fragments as new power brokers emerged amid old differences in vision, tactics and goals, this tome is spellbinding, and worth your attention.




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