Rooming in the Master's House: Power and Privilege in the Rise of Black Conservatism

I bought this book back in 2010. I recently pulled it off the shelf to check something, and realized that I, nor anyone for that matter had posted a review for this intelligent book. I thought I had reviewed it, but apparently not. Molefi Asante, without question is the preeminent scholar of African-American studies in America today. This book is co-authored with Ronald Hall and together they have traced the rise of the Black conservative movement, starting with the enslavement period, when African people were divided by house and field. The first chapter deals with the psychology that division engendered in the two different groups, and how the result shaped the foundation of the Black conservative movement.Although this is not a very long book-167 pages-clearly it is compelling in its arguments as to how and why we have Black conservatives and how that mentality has not changed very much since its inception. They do a great job of explaining how the "house negro/field negro" divide fed the other divisions, like skin color, hair texture and ultimately how to proceed politically and socially.With the political season upon us and so much debate surrounding President Obama and his chances at term 2, I think you will find this book timely. Here is a quote that reminds us of Herman Cain, "It is possible that many black conservatives live with the belief that something is tragically wrong with black people to have found ourselves in unjust situations. One of their techniques is to point to themselves and say "'Look at me. I did it by myself.'" pg. 150 In fact he uttered those exact words when he was still in the race. There are some who really and truly believe it is just that simple. A perusal through these 167 pages will perhaps disabuse them of that notion.Should be required reading for any person attempting to understand the current Black political environment.

The assertions are so unfounded, it would take a book to refute the ideas stated in this bookFirst of all, can anyone name "one" prominent black conservative that has his own show on television or has any serious prominance in the mainstream media..While TV and popular culture is overrun with prominent black liberals which demonstrates that white liberals do take care/pay well black liberals in the public forum, to a point..The core argument is that there are many in the black community that want to move forward with their God given gifts and talents and accomplish things for themselves and their families and have decided not hold white society at fault for their condition and failures. In other words, no one has ultimate power over us but God.Many prominent black liberals have aligned themselves with liberal policies and dogma that has been destructive to the moral/social core of the black community all in effort to accumulate some crumbs from the table of liberal elitist. Black liberals in fact are willing participates in oldest colonial trick in the book. Find some of the natives that will play along, give them some pretense of power to keep the rest in line.