The New Jim Crow

Phenomenal and a foundational work for the current era of activism around criminal justice reform and racial inequality. If some of the history or analysis here seems basic/obvious/whatever, it's because this book changed the conversation about these issues. I'm ashamed I hadn't read it until just now, especially since I'm a defense attorney and this is the environment that I work in every day. This book is crucial and so important to understanding where we are and how we got here. If possible, read the 10th anniversary edition, which has an updated foreword from the author about developments since the original publication.