Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism

Super Short Summary

Faces at the Bottom of the Well by Derrick A. Bell is a collection of nine short stories that illustrate the enduring reality of racism and its implications in the United States through fictional narratives and discussions between characters, primarily Geneva Crenshaw and a law professor. The stories explore complex issues such as racial symbols, imagined societies, legal frameworks permitting discrimination, racially motivated violence, advocacy, and futuristic scenarios that challenge traditional civil rights paradigms. The book is a significant text in Critical Race Theory and underscores the idea that racism is a permanent feature of American society. Some stories depict racially motivated violence, systemic discrimination, and oppressive societal structures.