“Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents”, by Isabel Wilkerson
As part of our Racial Justice Initiative, Indivisible OH 12 members are sharing relevant book recommendations. Here, Emily O'Hara reviews Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson.
If you have questions or comments, join the conversation in our Facebook group. Thank you, Emily!
Why did you choose this book?
I had heard of this book, but I have read many books about racism in America, and wondered if I needed this one. Yes, I did, and you need it too.
Why do you recommend this book?
Isabel Wilkerson's writing style is so simple and easy to read. And the simplicity and ease make the topics more powerful. She links Nazi Germany, American Black racism, and India's caste levels with such a clear and precise manner that you can't argue with it. She's right, and it's terrifying.
What surprised you most about this book?
Everyone knows the Nazis were evil, but did you know they used the American methods of caste to keep the Jewish people subordinate? In the early days of the Third Reich, they studied how America presented itself as a world leader of democracy, yet openly oppressed an entire race of people. The Nazis wrote the Nuremberg Laws based on the American racist system. However, while determining “racial purity”, they thought the American “one drop rule” was too harsh.
We know about the horrific Nazi medical experiments done to the Jewish people, but American doctors performed experiments on Black Americans. The “founding father of gynecology” used enslaved women to practice surgery without anesthesia, and a surgeon in Louisiana perfected the cesarean section on Black women. America has a terrible past similar to the Nazis, yet we have done nothing to admit nor atone for it.
In 1944, a 16 year old girl from Columbus, OH won an essay contest. The question was: What to do with Hitler after the war. She answered “Put him in a black skin, and let him live the rest of his life in America.”
Why do you think members of Indivisible OH12 will be interested in this book?
I think most members are looking to broaden their understanding of racism in America. Wilkerson gives many painful examples of historical events. It was equally disturbing to hear about her endless microaggressions as a Black Woman in America. It brings racism to the present. It also challenges us to act now to change our American caste system.