When Henry Louis Gates spoke out about his ridiculous arrest, he stated a truth few Americans-not even President Obama-are eager to discuss: there is no such thing as a postracial America. When it comes to race, the United States has come a long way, but not far enough and not fast enough. Every day we cope with casual racism, myriad indignities, institutional obstacles, "postracial" nonsense, or worse. The powers that be, meanwhile, always seem to arrive with their apologies and redress a day late and a dollar short.In this book, master storytellers Robert Pierre and Jon Jeter take a closer look at the lives of African-Americans from diverse backgrounds as Obama's victory comes to play a personal role in each of their lives. Every tale delves into the complex issues we will have to deal with going forward: the many challenges young black men face, subtle persistent racism, the stagnation of blacks vis-¡-vis whites, widespread black participation in the military despite widespread anti-war sentiments, the decline of unions even as organized labor becomes the primary vehicle for black progress, the challenges of interracial families, the lack of good schools or healthcare for the poor, and the inability of well-off blacks to lift up others.This honest and engaging exploration of the State of the Black Union is packed with compelling, inspiring, heartbreaking, and hopeful stories from the real lives of black Americans. You'll meet the Louisiana grandmother who escaped the backbreaking drudgery of a sugar plantation, managed to buy her own modest home, and stayed alive long enough to see a black man elected president; the fiery Chicago union shop steward who fought passionately to save the jobs of more than 260 workers; and the activist who questioned candidate Obama in public, only to have his concerns dismissed.

You'll also meet a successful small business owner who describes her struggles to keep her children from being labeled as learning disabled or emotionally disturbed in both public and private schools; a South African immigrant who worries that Obama will repeat the disastrous mistakes made by African presidents in his native land; and many more. A Day Late and a Dollar Short is the one book the president should start reading today.