“It’s Dangerous to Be a Young Black Male in the United States”: Jesmyn Ward on ‘Men We Reaped’ and Ferguson

By Elisabeth Donnelly on Oct 3, 2014 - Flavorwire

Towards the end of Jesmyn Ward’s memoir, Men We Reaped, she discusses some of the statistics for “what it means to be Black and poor in the South.” The facts are stark: in Mississippi, one of the poorest states in the union, where Ward grew up and lives today, 23% live below the poverty level; the median income is $34,473; studies have shown that poverty and lack of education can contribute to as many deaths as heart attacks, strokes, and lung cancer in the US. The state ranks last in the nation on the UN’s Human Development index, which measures life expectancy, literacy, education, and standard of living. … Read More