Between The World And Me Thesis

Research Essay Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between The World And Me is a piece of non-fiction, written in the form of a letter, to his son. The book reads as a memoir, a call to action, an historical record, and a piece of sociological and political discourse. Its main message is how can a black man survive in a white man's America, and it is a message close to the author's heart. When I read the book I understood the passion, the anger, the commitment of the author. I also felt like an outsider, however, as I didn’t know many of his references, and I knew I wasn’t his primary intended audience My research was directed by a need to better understand — to understand on an intellectual level, since I couldn’t on a visceral level — what Coates was talking about. What was he saying about the black man’s need to protect himself, about his own proclivity to violence? I realized as I was reading the book how little I knew about the sixties, and the history of the Black Power Movement. Revolution was the trademark of the decade. My parents referenced the sixties frequently—they spoke of it as an era of social change. Yet, I have never fully understood what things changed. And so I borrow 1these words from Coates, “So much of my life (is) defined by not knowing.” Coates begins his book by citing how acts of …show more content…
The Black Panthers organized to protect the black community from violence perpetrated by the police, and to this end they resorted to violence. The two founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale were described as thugs and criminals, but had met as college students (3). Newton was killed a fairly young man. He is often remembered for his acts of violence. However, his intellectual accomplishments were noteworthy. Together they produced a 10 point platform that was highly sophisticated in its demands—beginning with a cry for breakfast for all children