Uplifting the Race

“A critical analysis of the role and nature of black leadership from the beginning of the twentieth century to the eve of World War II. . . . [A] significant contribution to the understanding of black leadership in the twentieth century and the struggles of black people to gain full acceptance in what remains a profoundly racist society.”—History: Reviews of New Books

“Gaines reminds us that when Malcolm was assassinated he was formulating a fresh critique of the failings of American democracy while promoting a new internationalist agenda addressing the unequal distribution of wealth and power. . . . Gaines’s book is a refreshing demonstration of what can be yielded from a serious and scholarly contemplation of our American past, and it opens new doors of inquiry into the fields of African American intellectual history, gender studies, cultural studies, and political history.”—American Quarterly

“A critical and thoughtful analysis of uplift theory. . . . A notable goal of the historian is to provide a clearer comprehension of the contemporary world by inquiring about the past. Gaines has reached this objective.”—American Historical Review

“Uplifting the Race offer[s] fresh observations on the African American predicament.”—Journal of American Ethnic History

“A detailed and engaging book which explores a neglected aspect of US foreign policy. . . . The emotional resonance articulated in the epilogue regarding diasporean African' quest to celebrate their African heritage in addition to formulating a political relationship with Ghana makes a fitting end to this insightful book.” — Modern African Studies

“This work represents the promise of what the new scholarship on the African American intellectual and social experience in the United States might bring. Gaines’s book is a refreshing demonstration of what can be yielded from a serious and scholarly contemplation of our American past, and it opens new doors of inquiry into the fields of African American intellectual history, gender studies, cultural studies, and political history.” — American Quarterly

“A bold and exciting work.” — Journal of Southern History

“Readers will be left with a much more subtle understanding of the sad paradox of uplift, of African Americans trying to belong to a society that was defined in part by their exclusion.” — Publishers Weekly

“Gaines addresses the black elite’s preoccupation with uplift ideology throughout the 20th century and the tension that particular doctrine caused among African American intellectuals.” — CHOICE

“A challenging exploration of an important strand of African American thought — the ideology of racial uplift.” — Journal of American History