Politics and government · Sociology · Current affairs
The New Jim Crow
Michelle Alexander, a civil rights lawyer, argues that mass incarceration in the United States works as a new system of racial control after Jim Crow. She focuses on the war on drugs and what a criminal record takes away.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2010
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Medium
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a rigorous, forceful argument about race and the American justice system.
Skip this if you want a quick, neutral summary of criminal justice policy.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about The New Jim Crow
- What is The New Jim Crow about?
- Michelle Alexander, a civil rights lawyer, argues that mass incarceration in the United States works as a new system of racial control after Jim Crow. She focuses on the war on drugs and what a criminal record takes away.
- Who should read The New Jim Crow?
- Read it if you want a rigorous, forceful argument about race and the American justice system. Skip it if you want a quick, neutral summary of criminal justice policy.
- How long and how fast is The New Jim Crow?
- It is a slow-paced, medium read, first published in 2010.
- Does The New Jim Crow have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Racism.
- Can I borrow The New Jim Crow for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The New Jim Crow; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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|---|---|---|
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