Review: Movement: Race, Power and Culture in America by Pierre A.

Blaine

Do you recall the details of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech? Or those of
the Declaration of Independence? Have you wondered how these historic artifacts fit into
today’s political, social, racial, and cultural climate? These purely American doctrines continue
to shape the country’s overall culture and individual experiences, especially for Black people.
Knowing this firsthand and believing that the United States lacks a historical context of the
African-American experience, Pierre A. Blaine aims to remedy this in his book Movement: Race,
Power and Culture in America.

The book begins with the assertion that current US racial politics are in a dangerous downward
spiral. Black people in America started from the very bottom and slowly graduated, from
slavery to voting rights to the Black Lives Matter movement. Blaine traces this history through a
political science or public administration lens, with a focus on St. Louis, Missouri, as a case
study. The book has chapters focusing on race, power, and culture (as implied by the title) but
also includes more specific topics such as environmental racism and nonviolent social change.
Blaine essentially argues that the racial disparity in America today mirrors that of the Civil War.

Movement: Race, Power and Culture in America is overflowing with valuable, well-researched
information about huge social issues in America. Blaine masterfully pulls together collective
society and individual examples, such as the racially-charged riots in Ferguson, Missouri. One of
my favorite parts of the book was the subtle repetition of themes and maxims. One that Blaine
comes back to frequently is “toward a more perfect union,” accentuating hope in the midst of
opposition for all Americans.

Though some parts of the nearly 400-page book felt drawn out, the details were important to
understand the full historical perspective. As Blaine himself said, “A text without a context is a
pretext.” He carefully guides his readers through the history and danger of each problem. Is
there really an easy answer to the deep-set issues in America? Probably not, but this book
offers some optimism.

The writing style was both factual and passionate; some parts read like a textbook and others
seemed more like a stream of consciousness or verbal speech. Because of this, the book was
rampant with run-on sentences and other grammatical errors. A different format, such as an
audiobook or podcast, could make this book more enjoyable and easier to digest. Blaine also
expresses his personal political views quite devotedly, which could be a turn-off for some
readers.

Finally, Blaine’s book has a very specific audience. Though the information about race, power,
and culture in America is extremely valuable for everyone, the book’s length and exhaustive
detail require true interest in the subject. Students and professionals in political science, public
administration, or other related fields should definitely read this book. Due to the incredible
value, cited research, and enlightened delivery – but also due to the plethora of errors – I rate
Movement: Race, Power and Culture in America 3 out of 4 stars. With a thorough round of
editing and perhaps the elimination of obviously biased views, this book could easily make its
way into a college classroom.