We Can't Breathe

"Jabari Asim takes a deep look at African-American history and culture and its present-day manifestations through a collection of eight uncompromising essays. Ranging from the personal to the broad, Asim writes about the resilience of black Americans."—Wilder Davies, Time

"A collection of essays that go wide and deep into the black experience in America. As a former editor and columnist for the Washington Post and editor-in-chief of the NAACP's The Crisis, Asim brings an impressive breadth of experience to these pieces. He places current events within the context of a legacy that is literary, political, and cultural, as well as racial, with a voice that is both compelling and convincing...A sharp vision that challenges readers to shift perspective and examine conventional narratives."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"The author of The N Word upends the standard narrative of African American history and culture in America, told from the perspective of whites, and offers a more accurate understanding of that culture by emphasizing its vibrancy."—Library Journal

"In this small but expansive collection of essays, writer and cultural critic Asim draws on the full breadth of black history in the United States, illuminating the story of black resilience through the centuries....Melding the personal with the national and cultural, this collection is a must-read."—Publishers Weekly