Join the League of Women Voters-Whitewater for an insightful three-part community book discussion on Eddie S. Glaude Jr.’s best-selling book, America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries. Co-convened by Deb Gamble and Dwight C. Watson, this series explores the deep contradictions embedded within America’s history, examining how major national milestone celebrations often reinforce sugarcoated mythologies rather than face the complex realities of race and democracy.
Irvin L. Young Memorial Public Library
431 W Center St, Whitewater, WI 53190
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Complimentary snacks will be provided for all attendees!
About the Book: In America, U.S.A., celebrated public intellectual Eddie S. Glaude Jr. delivers a powerful, devastatingly candid analysis of the United States’ historic milestone birthdays across 250 years of history. From the Centennial to the Semiquincentennial, Glaude demonstrates how the country turns a blind eye to historical evils during periods of celebration, retreating into comforting national myths instead of executing an honest racial reckoning. Utilizing a rich combination of insights from figures like W.E.B. DuBois, John Dos Passos, and Martin Luther King Jr., the text challenges us to discard false innocence to help achieve a truly just democracy.
About the Author: Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. is an acclaimed American scholar, author, and political commentator, widely recognized for his incisive analyses of race, religion, and democracy. Born in Moss Point, Mississippi, he is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. Glaude earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College, a master’s in African American studies from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in religion from Princeton. As an academic, he is a dedicated pragmatist and scholar of religion, exploring the intersection of faith, philosophy, and Black political identity.
Discussion Schedule & Reading Alignment:
- September 9: Part 1 — The Mythologies of the Past
- Focus: We will analyze the early milestone anniversaries outlined in the book’s first section, detailing how the foundational myths of freedom were constructed while simultaneously excluding millions of marginalized Americans.
- Introduction: Bitterness at the Bottom of the Cup — p. 1
- Chapter 1: Freedom Is the White Man’s Gift — p. 23
- Chapter 2: What Is the Fourth of July to Us? — p. 49
- Chapter 3: 1876: Centennial — p. 77
- October 7: Part 2 — The Cycle of Inaction and Erasure
- Focus: Our second session covers the middle section of the book, focusing on the historical “double consciousness” of a country that envisions itself as a beacon of liberty while legally and socially operating as a white republic.
- Interlude: The Plague Years — p. 103
- Chapter 4 / Interlude: 1926: Sesquicentennial / The American Century — p. 137
- Chapter 5: 1976: Bicentennial — p. 151
- November 11: Part 3 — Reckoning for the Future
- Focus: In our final gathering, we will cover the concluding portion of the book. We will discuss our tenuous present day and the upcoming 250th national anniversary, examining how we can break the vicious cycles of history to strive for a better future.
- Interlude: The After Times — p. 185
- Chapter 6: 2026: Semiquincentennial — p. 199
- Conclusion: Love and Country — p. 227
- Notes, Bibliography, and Index –- pp. 241 to 288
No registration is required to attend, and books can be sourced locally or borrowed through the library catalog system.
Discussion Leaders:
- Deb Gamble (262-853-1946)/ 23debg@gmail.com
- Dwight C. Watson (920-542-8601)/ dwight.watsondcw@gmail.com
ALL ARE WELCOME • NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Books can be sourced through the local library catalog system or favorite book retailers.
