Summary Of Ta-Nehisi Coates Letter To My Son

In the 21st century, during a period of racial injustice, political activist for African Americans, Ta-Nehisi Coates, presented “Letter to My Son” in which he outlines how America’s racist history has created a government system that oppresses and destroys the black community. In an attempt to support his claim, Coates compares Black bodies to vital aspects of slavery in an effort to remind the reader of ongoing, persistent, continuous exploitation of Black bodies. In fact, the misuse and abuse of African American bodies occurred so frequently, that it managed to become woven into the fabric of American heritage. Coates’s underlying purpose is to explain the innate cruelty the United States and its legacy of abusing bodies, especially black ones.

Coates explains how black bodies “were pulverized into stock…” using whatever tools were available, including whips, tongs, pokers, etc (34). “Pulverized” was used to exaggerate the reduction of the black body into fine pieces. Coates could have used “defeated”, but instead he used “pulverized” to explain the utter defeat that the authorities had accomplished. The author’s word choice emphasizes the strident encounters that Black bodies had with white supremacists. Coates also believes that “racism is a visceral experience” that affects Blacks’ bodies physically and mentally (7). A “visceral experience” is an experience based off deep inward thoughts, feelings and emotions rather than intellect. The experience could have been described as ignorant or superficial, but instead it was described as “visceral” to reveal the true intention of ravaging the Black body. American authorities actions are a reflection of their hatred for Blacks rather than their knowledge about the capability of