
White Lies
Dismantling Ten Cultural Myths About Race
Greg Garrett(Author)
Oxford University Press Inc
Will be published approx. on 1. October 2026
Book
Hardback
280 pages
978-0-19-765218-3 (ISBN)
Description
A timely analysis of the myths that underpin white supremacy--and how to counteract them
For centuries, white men in the West have cultivated and perpetuated a set of false narratives about Black people in order to subjugate and maintain power over them. Some of these myths originated abroad but flourished in America, while others were cultivated solely on American soil. All of them, however, continue to find expression in the present as white supremacy strains to maintain its privilege.
These myths have been expressed in almost every form of discourse, from court rulings and sermons to literature and film to material culture and textbooks. They vary from the biological--Black Africans and their descendants are mentally inferior to whites--to the anthropological--Black Africans are incapable of governing themselves and require the supervision of whites--and all have helped to perpetuate Black Americans' enslavement, imprisonment, and exclusion.
White Lies analyzes ten of the most dangerous and pervasive of these myths and observes how they still emerge in political discourse, legislation, pop culture, and religion. This racist rhetoric is present in the words of Abraham Lincoln, George Wallace, and Donald Trump, and the power of white Christian nationalism often evokes these myths, sometimes so subtly listeners may not be conscious of how they are being manipulated. White Lies connects the dots between past narratives, images, and ideas, and present speech about violence, urban life, the suburbs, voter and welfare fraud, and white saviors. It explores myths that individuals and communities may employ to avoid confronting racism, including the notion that America is either post-racial or that white people are the group most liable to suffer discrimination. While these myths continue to spread, White Lies also notes some of the powerful competing narratives which seek to correct them.
For centuries, white men in the West have cultivated and perpetuated a set of false narratives about Black people in order to subjugate and maintain power over them. Some of these myths originated abroad but flourished in America, while others were cultivated solely on American soil. All of them, however, continue to find expression in the present as white supremacy strains to maintain its privilege.
These myths have been expressed in almost every form of discourse, from court rulings and sermons to literature and film to material culture and textbooks. They vary from the biological--Black Africans and their descendants are mentally inferior to whites--to the anthropological--Black Africans are incapable of governing themselves and require the supervision of whites--and all have helped to perpetuate Black Americans' enslavement, imprisonment, and exclusion.
White Lies analyzes ten of the most dangerous and pervasive of these myths and observes how they still emerge in political discourse, legislation, pop culture, and religion. This racist rhetoric is present in the words of Abraham Lincoln, George Wallace, and Donald Trump, and the power of white Christian nationalism often evokes these myths, sometimes so subtly listeners may not be conscious of how they are being manipulated. White Lies connects the dots between past narratives, images, and ideas, and present speech about violence, urban life, the suburbs, voter and welfare fraud, and white saviors. It explores myths that individuals and communities may employ to avoid confronting racism, including the notion that America is either post-racial or that white people are the group most liable to suffer discrimination. While these myths continue to spread, White Lies also notes some of the powerful competing narratives which seek to correct them.
Reviews / Votes
Greg Garett's White Lies is a prophetic and imaginative text. My late Mother used to say that the 'truth may cause offence but it is never a sin'. White Lies is a searing truth-telling text in which the most popular racial myths of Whiteness are debunked and utterly repudiated. It is a bold and critical challenge to the sin of White supremacy. This is a must read! * Anthony Reddie, Professor of Black Theology, The University of Oxford * Race and its mobilization, racism, feed on three sins: deception, theft and murder. Garrett's book focuses squarely on the first and in doing so, exposes and resists the others. If we are to be a people who tell the truth, it requires us to name and refuse lies. So be warned! Because after you read this book, you will be without excuse! * Rev. Malcolm Foley, PhD, Special Advisor to the President for Campus Engagement - Baylor University * Garrett's White Lies exposes the stories we tell ourselves to avoid the truth-and the cost of those stories to our democracy. A brilliant, evocative book that challenges us to confront hard truths to become better citizens. Garrett demands that we look honestly at the past if we're serious about making a better future. * Ty Seidule, author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause and Professor Emeritus of History, West Point * As our nation revisits and revivifies America's story in 2026, White Lies helps us discern both the truth of our challenging past and the shape of a hopeful future where we might live into the promise of racial equality and justice for all. Greg Garrett has given us an indispensable gift, a clear-eyed guide for navigating this challenging era of cultural change and backlash. * Robert P. Jones, president and founder, PRRI; NY Times bestselling author of Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation after the Christian Turn Against Democracy *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 164 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
558 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-765218-3 (9780197652183)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Greg Garrett is the Carole McDaniel Hanks Professor of Literature and Culture at Baylor University and Canon Theologian for the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris, France. He has published over thirty books, including The Gospel According to James Baldwin: What America's Great Prophet Can Teach Us about Life, Love, and Identity (2023) and A Long, Long Way: Hollywood's Unfinished Journey from Racism to Reconciliation (2020).
Author
The Carole Ann McDaniel Hanks Professor of Literature and CultureThe Carole Ann McDaniel Hanks Professor of Literature and Culture, Baylor University
Content
Introduction: The Problem of White Racial Mythologies Chapter One: Black Beasts: White Myths of Humanity and Inhumanity
Chapter Two: They're Just like Children: White Myths of Slavery and Paternalism
Chapter Three: The Lost Cause: Confederate Fictions
Chapter Four: "At Least We're Not Black": Whiteness, Blackness, and Caste
Chapter Five: Law and Order: Fear and Injustice
Chapter Six: "There Goes the Neighborhood": Segregation and Racial Space
Chapter Seven: America for Americans: God Bless White America
Chapter Eight: I have a Black Friend: Personal Racism and Deflection
Chapter Nine: White Saviors: Superheroes, Allies, Fellow Slaves
Chapter Ten: We Elected a Black President: The Myth of Post-Racial America
Conclusion: We Shall Overcome: Black Countermyths and The Force of History
Chapter Two: They're Just like Children: White Myths of Slavery and Paternalism
Chapter Three: The Lost Cause: Confederate Fictions
Chapter Four: "At Least We're Not Black": Whiteness, Blackness, and Caste
Chapter Five: Law and Order: Fear and Injustice
Chapter Six: "There Goes the Neighborhood": Segregation and Racial Space
Chapter Seven: America for Americans: God Bless White America
Chapter Eight: I have a Black Friend: Personal Racism and Deflection
Chapter Nine: White Saviors: Superheroes, Allies, Fellow Slaves
Chapter Ten: We Elected a Black President: The Myth of Post-Racial America
Conclusion: We Shall Overcome: Black Countermyths and The Force of History