The Broken Heart of America: St. Louis and the Violent History of the United States

by Walter Johnson

Book Overview

A searing and "magisterial" (Cornel West, New York Times-bestselling author of Democracy Matters) history of American racial exploitation and resistance, told through the turbulent past of the city of St. Louis

From Lewis and Clark's 1804 expedition to the 2014 uprising in Ferguson, American history has been made in St. Louis. And as Walter Johnson shows in this searing book, the city exemplifies how imperialism, racism, and capitalism have persistently entwined to corrupt the nation's past.

St. Louis was a staging post for Indian removal and imperial expansion, and its wealth grew on the backs of its poor black residents, from slavery through redlining and urban renewal. But it was once also America's most radical city, home to anti-capitalist immigrants, the Civil War's first general emancipation, and the nation's first general strike--a legacy of resistance that endures.

A blistering history of a city's rise and decline, The Broken Heart of America will forever change how we think about the United States.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1541619587
• ISBN13: 9781541619586
• Release Date: July 2021
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

I left my heart in St Louis

Walter Johnson, a Wintrrop professor of history and African American studies at Harvard left his broken heart in his master piece history book The Broken Heart of America in St Louis Missouri. It is the violent part of history of the United States where this review lived for thirty years. He started the history 101 from ancient times of Cahokia Mount to the blacks to the Ferguson of killing of Michael Brown, the son of my daughter’s classmate at Ladue. He covered many cities in the County which I am familiar with but unknown history, such as Kirkwood, East St Louis Massacre and St Louis City with the names of mayors and politicians. My uncle family still operates the Chinese restaurant serving the black clients He draws attention to the 1904 World Fair from a racial looking glass and from that perspective of white civilization to Christianize and westernize the “savages”. America was in the early development stage with the first modern Olympic at the same time. Forest Park still there with the 2004 celebration which I was able to be there. Walter concentrates with the Native Americans and African Americans history and St Louis was multi cultural with International Institutes to help new comers from Europe. He may not aware the Chinese in St Louis which in the last decade published two books in this minority with Chinatown and two local Chinese newspapers. Prof Johnson writes this book of importance and truth for humanity and justice which I left my heart in St Louis for my fond memory as my wife was two terms State Commissioner