Summary

Coates reflects on "The Case for Reparations," a work that helped him articulate his belief that the American story was one that hinged on the exploitation of African Americans. This "plunder" was the central characteristic of American history rather than an incidental one. While Coates recognizes that most African Americans instinctively felt what he articulated, his writing helped him to uncover the myth with evidence that supported those feelings. The audience for his writing was not people who were invested in the myth. Instead, he wrote for himself and others whose exploitation was covered over by the myth.

In aiming to reveal the truth behind the myth, Coates understands himself to be writing in a black literary tradition of truth-telling and celebration of one's ancestry, important aspects of...