White Poverty by William J. Barber II & Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy by Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II & Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

One of the most pernicious and persistent myths in the United States is the association of Black skin with poverty. In White Poverty, a groundbreaking and generational work, Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove expose this falsehood, revealing that there are forty million more poor white people than Black people in America. This book promises to be one of the most influential works in recent years, with far-ranging social and political implications.

Exposing the Myths of Poverty and Race

Dr. Barber, a leading advocate for the rights of the poor, addresses the historical causes and political consequences of this neglect, analyzing how the face of American poverty has changed since the 1930s. He writes about the lies that have prevented us from seeing the pain of poor white families, asserting in biblically-inspired language that there should never be shame in being poor. Ultimately, the authors contend that tens of millions of America’s poorest earners, the majority of whom don’t vote, have much in common, thus providing us with one of the most empathetic and visionary approaches to American poverty in decades.

Key Insights from the Book:

• Exposes the myths that create a divide between white and Black people.
• Challenges the very definition of who is poor in America.
• Lifts the hope for a new “moral fusion movement” to unite people who have been pitted against one another.
• Includes 12 black-and-white illustrations.