Social Justice Hybrid Book Discussion: White Trash by Nancy Isenberg

White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg

The poor and landless in early British colonial America were often labeled as "waste people," "offals," "lazy lubbers" and "crackers." By the 1850s, groups like the "clay eaters" and "sandhillers" were known for their premature aging and destitution. In her book, Isenberg challenges the myth of America’s class-free society by examining how poor whites, central to the rise of the Republican Party and the Civil War, have been marginalized throughout history. From the rise of eugenics targeting poor whites to their role in the New Deal and Great Society, these individuals have consistently influenced major political movements. Isenberg’s work forces us to confront not just racial injustice but also the deep-rooted issues of class inequality in America.

Also available via Microsoft Teams; log in here at the scheduled time.

Registration appreciated.