We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates Summary
Overview of We Were Eight Years in Power
Ta-Nehisi Coates' bestselling collection examines America during Obama's presidency and the racial backlash that followed. Praised by Oprah and named essential by the Boston Globe, these essays became "necessary ballast for this nation's gravity-defying moment." What truths about power remain hidden?
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Key takeaways
When Progress Became a Target
What happens when a nation confronts its deepest contradiction? In 1895, a Black congressman named Thomas Miller stood before a hostile South Carolina legislature and uttered words that would echo across centuries: "We were eight years in power." He was pleading for the preservation of rights Black Americans had gained during Reconstruction-rights that were about to be violently stripped away as white supremacy reasserted its grip. Fast forward to 2008, and America elected its first Black president, Barack Obama. For eight years, the nation watched a Black family occupy the White House, embodying possibilities that had seemed impossible just decades before. Yet history has a way of repeating itself. Obama's presidency didn't usher in a post-racial America-instead, it triggered a backlash so fierce that it would eventually place Donald Trump in the Oval Office. This cycle of progress and retrenchment isn't an accident of history. It's the rhythm of American democracy, a nation perpetually wrestling with the original sin of building freedom on the backs of enslaved people.
From Unemployment Lines to National Conversations
The Myth We Tell Ourselves
The South Side and Authentic Belonging
The Fear That Reveals Everything
The Plunder That Never Ended
America's First White President and What Comes Next
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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