About the Lecture
Anderson analyzes how racial divisiveness is actively being deployed to undermine American democracy. At this pivotal moment—with key provisions of the Voting Rights Act under debate in the Supreme Court and state legislatures rapidly changing election laws—Anderson provides crucial context. She argues these policy actions are a historical and familiar response by white populations who perceive a threat to their status.
Drawing from her acclaimed research, she argues that throughout history, every advance towards full participation by African Americans has been met with a deliberate and relentless rollback of their gains—a history she names “white rage.”
Anderson carefully links historical flashpoints, pulling back the veil that often covers these actions—which are often made in the name of protecting democracy, fiscal responsibility, or preventing fraud—to render visible the long lineage of this opposition.