Need book suggestion: balanced book on racism in USA

[caseagainstfaith]

I confess, I have used racist language.  My parents were very racist.  I have tried to learn, but I am not perfect.

On the other hand, my wife is very racist.  She is a nurse.  She gets lots of poor patients.  And, at least in Houston where we live, the poor patients tend to be black and Hispanic.  And, she says the poor patients often have bad attitudes.  She says that they get free services and yet bitch and complain and treat the workers, such as her, poorly.

So, she says that she thinks one of the reasons why America is "going down" is the drag upon society the blacks and Hispanics have on society. But mostly blacks.  She isn't fond of Hispanics, but, really hates blacks. Poor ones anyway.

Now, I must confess, I have to agree that many times the black community has not done what it can to rise above their situation.  Yet, I realize it is really hard.

It is clear that racism is still a big issue in this country.  And, the wealthy made an underclass of poor people, mostly black people in the bigger cities anyway.  Black people are more likely to get prosecuted for drug use.  I heard someone say that drugs laws are the modern day Jim Crow laws.  If you are a convict, you loose voting rights, you have less job opportunities, etc.

So, what I am looking for is something of a balanced book. Something that will be honest in the failings of the black community to be able to rise above the situation. But, clearly explains institutional racism and how the situation got the way it is.

Also, it needs to be a readable book for laymen.  She is Filipino.  She isn't stupid, but, she doesn't have the same background that Americans do on the situation.  So, the book would need to not take too much for granted as far as the knowledge of the reader.

Anybody possibly have such a book recommendation???

[Colanth]

Now, I must confess, I have to agree that many times the black community has not done what it can to rise above their situation.  Yet, I realize it is really hard.

I can't even give you a balanced opinion, let alone a book.  I know many blacks who, even though they were born into poor or bad circumstances, pulled themselves up one way or another, and now are people I'm glad to know.  So I guess I'm just a bit prejudiced in thinking that if someone would rather sit around drugged or drunk all day it's a personal failing, not a matter of skin color.

[aitm]

I am very much you. I grew up in a racist town where the church elders would enlighten us as to the habits of "niggers" after church. I grew up terrified and hating blacks. It wasn't until I was 16 when I met my first black kid at a Detroit Tigers ballgame that I found myself at odds with my understanding. I have worked hard, but still fail from time to time.
 
Perhaps the classic "Black like me" can be a starter although it is rather obvious in the intent. Although without some balance with more educated minorities she may very well never get over this.

[Triple Nine]

As a black person, going to Howard, I get to see all the strange issues of our community. I notice the kids from Africa don't seem to have all the baggage like kids from the US do. Im biased, I grew up in an upper-middle class home that has a very long history of college graduates (Im generation number 5) and a bunch of other grand accomplishments I have referenced on this forum. My uncle was the judge for Casey Anthony for one.

However, I learned over the years that I need to be patient with blacks not as fortunate as me. They are trying to fight a system and a society that expects them to fail, that's hard. I've experienced racism enough and it hurts, A LOT. It does stuff to your mind that you can't imagine. I don't even know what it must be like for someone who is poor, has a crappy education, bad environment, and EVERYONE expects them to fail. Some can overcome it, most can't. Same thing with religion, I believe I was able to overcome Christianity because I had instead traits that made me philosophical and skeptical in nature that grew as I got older. Trust me, overcoming stereotypes while in a harsh environment is not easy or something everyone can do on their own. Please remember that.

[_Xenu_]

If you really want to educate yourself on the subject, you should read about how we came to have so many race related issues in this country. Booker T Washington wrote a first hand account about being born into slavery, and if he were alive today, he would almost certainly be labeled PTSD from the experience.

http://www.bartleby.com/1004/

And yet, in the face of so much bleakness, he succeeded wildly and showed no ill will to anyone. Amazing story, most powerful thing I've ever read.