CRISI IN BIANCO E NERO | 1965 | CHARLES E. SILBERMAN

This work by Charles E. Silberman is a study of race relations and racial discrimination in the United States in the 1960s, focusing especially on the conditions of African Americans and the societal, legal, and economic obstacles that perpetuate inequality. Silberman investigates how segregation, both de jure and de facto, shaped education, employment, housing, and public life. He draws on interviews, statistical data, and case studies to argue that racism in America is deeply institutional, not only a matter of laws but also of habits, policies, and social attitudes. The book’s contribution lies in its nuanced view of both the white and black perspectives, its attempt to explain why progress toward racial justice has been so slow, and its insistence that moral outrage alone is not enough—the structural reforms are essential.
It is both a sociological analysis and a call for justice, illuminating the complexity of racial problems and the necessity for both individual and systemic change.