Book Discussion: “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” By Isabel Wilkerson (Online)

Caste points to our entire social structure as an unrecognized caste system. Wilkerson agrees that America is indeed racist. She says that we tend to refer to slavery as a “sad, dark chapter” in America when in fact it lasted for hundreds of years—but, in order to maintain a social order and an “economy whose bottom gear was torture,” it was necessary to give Blacks the lowest possible status. Whites, in turn, got top status. In-between came the middle castes of Asians, Latinos, indigenous people, and immigrants of African descent. Such a caste system allowed generations of whites to live under the same assumptions of inequality.

Presented by the Ethical Action Committee. Join link will be provided via email.