The Wrong Complexion for Protection - by Robert D Bullard & Beverly Wright (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Uncovers the ways the United States government responds to natural and human-induced disasters in relation to race over the past eight decades

When the images of desperate, hungry, thirsty, sick, mostly black people circulated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it became apparent to the whole country that race did indeed matter when it came to government assistance. In The Wrong Complexion for Protection, Robert D. Bullard and Beverly Wright place the government response to natural and human-induced disasters in historical context over the past eight decades. They compare and contrast how the government responded to emergencies, including environmental and public health emergencies, toxic contamination, industrial accidents, bioterrorism threats and show that African Americans are disproportionately affected. Bullard and Wright argue that uncovering and eliminating disparate disaster response can mean the difference between life and death for those most vulnerable in disastrous times.

Review Quotes

"The Wrong Complexion for Protection is an intellectual version of a 'greatest hits' album, combining autobiography and research findings to give a picture of the authors' important contributions to the field of environmental justice, and a picture of what environmental justice has contributed to political science and other fields."--Patrick S. Roberts "Political Science Quarterly"

"Robert D. Bullard and Beverly Wright provide an intersectional examination for understanding and addressing environmental disasters by interconnecting race, class, and place... The Wrong Complexion for Protection makes a compelling case regarding the need for government oversight and more effective and equal policies that would provide equal protection regardless of race and place."--Hillary Potter "Race and Justice"

"A fascinating insiders account from the frontlines of the struggle to get the government to act fairly in the face of environmental injustice, with vast implications for future disasters."--Timmons Roberts, co-author of A Climate of Injustice

"A fine overview for those interested in the subject matter. Summing Up: Highly recommended."-- "Choice"

"The brutal realities of institutional racism in disaster readiness, response, and recovery are unveiled here in black and white, through compelling case studies, jaw-dropping statistics, and thoroughly documented sociological and historical data."--David Naguib Pellow, co-author of The Slums of Aspen: Immigrants vs. the Environment in America's Eden

About the Author

Robert D. Bullard (Author)
Robert D. Bullard is Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University and Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice. He is former Dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs and author and co-author of several books including Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality and Environmental Health and Racial Equity in the United States: Strategies for Building Just, Sustainable and Livable Communities.

Beverly Wright (Author)
Beverly Wright is Founder and Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. She is the co-author of Race, Place, and Environmental Justice after Hurricane Katrina: Struggles to Reclaim, Rebuild, and Revitalize New Orleans.