Description

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander is a groundbreaking examination of the U.S. criminal justice system and how it has systematically targeted and disenfranchised African Americans, particularly through the War on Drugs. Alexander compellingly argues that mass incarceration functions as a modern-day racial caste system, stripping millions of Black Americans of basic rights such as voting, employment, and housing. Drawing on extensive research and legal analysis, the book reveals how policies framed as “colorblind” have, in practice, sustained deep racial inequalities under the radar of mainstream public awareness.

First published in 2010 and re-released in a 10th anniversary edition in 2020 with a new preface, The New Jim Crow has become a cornerstone in the movement for criminal justice reform. It has sparked national conversation and activism by exposing the devastating consequences of systemic racism embedded in law enforcement and the courts. Alexander’s powerful prose and clear reasoning make the book an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the roots of racial injustice in America today—and how those injustices continue to be perpetuated.