The Covenant with Black America Book

Covenant propounds ten issues critical to the African American community with an introduction to each issue by an expert in the area followed by detailed facts to support it, point-by-point recommendations on what leaders and individuals can do to help and, finally, some examples of successful projects addressing it. It's edited by Tavis Smiley and written in a very accessible style while including input from some of the most distinguished leaders and thinkers in the African American community.

The presentation of some of the data seemed a little disingenuous to me, for instance citing a data point of the African American community without the context that might make it evident the problem is not limited to just the African American community. And so the tone of the book can seem a bit divisive and I definitely felt like an outsider looking in. Its disconcerting when a group as big and diverse as "African Americans" is presented as a unified block. Race in my world view is a mushy attribute - more of a continuum between black and white and anything else disturbingly harkens back to the "one-drop rule". The big "we" makes me wonder where along that continuum the author has drawn the line.

But nonetheless research conducted comparing African Americans and other communities demonstrates undeniable differences and so all of these quibbles are inconsequential to the overall value of the book. Its clear that African Americans in this country have an incredibly difficult climb fraught with disadvantages at all levels. The data appears to overwhelming indicate that special focus needs to be paid to African American needs. But lest you walk away thinking that the problems are insurmountable, Covenant includes thoughtful, diverse and practical recommendations on what could be done to help and examples of existing successful projects that are making a difference.

Covenant instills confidence that African Americans can attack key problems in their community if they pull their resources and work together towards a common goal. As a NY Times Bestseller its clear that the book is being read, but its more difficult to assess if the book has been successful at motivating readers to take action. No doubt it stands as a helpful resource that offers numerous ideas for leaders to start marshaling their own resources and campaigns in their local communities.