How Blacks Built America examines the many positive and dramatic contributions made by African Americans to this country over its long history. Almost all public and scholarly discussion of African Americans accenting their distinctive societal position, especially discussion outside black communities, has emphasized either stereotypically negative features or the negative socioeconomic conditions that they have long faced because of systemic racism. In contrast, Feagin reveals that African Americans have long been an extraordinarily important asset for this country. Without their essential contributions, indeed, there probably would not have been a United States. This is an ideal addition to courses race and ethnicity courses.

Joe R. Feagin is Ella C. McFadden Professor in sociology at Texas A&M University. Feagin has done research on racism and sexism issues for decades. He has written 67 scholarly books and more than 200 scholarly articles in his research areas, and one of his books (Ghetto Revolts) was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His numerous Routledge books include Systemic Racism: A Theory of Oppression (2006), Two Faced Racism: Whites in the Backstage and Frontstage (2007), White Party, White Government: Race, Class, and U.S. Politics (2012), The White Racial Frame (Second edition, 2013), and Racist America (Third Edition, 2014).

Feagin is the 2012 recipient of the Soka Gakkai International-USA Social Justice Award, the 2013 American Association for Affirmative Action's Arthur Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2013 American Sociological Association's W. E. B. Du Bois Career of Distinguished Scholarship Award. He was the 1999-2000 president of the American Sociological Association.