Jill Nelson, editor

Police Brutality

A revelatory examination of one of America's most serious domestic problems—a wholly unique work that investigates historical and sociological roots and grapples for solutions.

From the beating of Rodney King to the shooting by New York City police officers of the unarmed and innocent Amadou Diallo, incidents of police brutality have galvanized and polarized the nation in a way few other contemporary events have. Jill Nelson, author of the best-selling memoir Volunteer Slavery, was so disturbed by the Diallo killing—as well as the torture of Abner Louima and other acts of police violence—that she was moved to pioneer this extraordinary, landmark anthology. Police Brutality is a collection of thirteen original essays—by academics, historians, social critics, a Chicago congressman, and an ex–New York City police detective, among others—placing this centuries-old problem in much-needed historical and intellectual context, and underscoring the profound influence police brutality has had in shaping the American identity. Contributors include Robin D. G. Kelley, Ishmael Reed, Michael Ross, Katheryn Russell, Patricia Williams, Bobby Rush, Derrick Bell, Stanley Crouch, Ron Daniels, and Claude Clegg III.