Black Rage (book)
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | William H. Grier, Price M. Cobbs |
| Products | Book |
Black Rage is a 1968 publication authored by psychiatrists William H. Grier and Price M. Cobbs. Released soon after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the subsequent civil disturbances, the book quickly attracted attention for its exploration of the psychological effects of systemic racial oppression. It offered a profound analysis of the anger that contributed to social upheaval, shaping public conversations and inspiring an ABC television program in 1969 entitled To Be Black.
The book
Black Rage played a significant role in shaping the legal doctrine known as black rage, being notably referenced as a defense strategy in prominent trials including that of Colin Ferguson. Initially, the manuscript was titled Reflections on the Negro Psyche.
The authors
The co-authors, both psychiatrists, established a clinic in San Francisco during the mid-1960s and later collaborated on The Jesus Bag published in 1971. Price M. Cobbs authored an autobiography, My American Life: From Rage to Entitlement, which chronicles his life following the release of Black Rage. He died on June 25, 2018, at age 89. Cobbs was recognized as an authority on cultural stereotyping, racial bias, and race relations. William H. Grier, who passed away in 2015, was also known as the father of comedian David Alan Grier.
The New York Times review
After receiving a critical assessment from Kenneth B. Clark in The New York Times, the authors replied with an editorial highlighting that this was their first negative critique following 62 positive reviews, and notably it came from "a black brother."
Connections to criminal cases
The book influenced black extremist and serial killer Mark Essex, who embraced its radical perspectives. Additionally, the "black rage" concept was presented as a defense during the trial of Colin Ferguson, responsible for the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting. However, this defense was dismissed and Ferguson was sentenced to more than three centuries in prison.
See also
- White Rage, a 2016 publication examining white backlash
External links
- 1967 riots
- 1968 non-fiction books
- African-American cultural history
- African-American-related controversies
- Basic Books books
- Books about African-American history
- Civil rights protests in the United States
- English-language non-fiction books
- King assassination riots
- Race and crime in the United States
- Sociology books