Beverly Daniel Tatum is a clinical psychologist specializing in racial identity development who has also held leadership positions in higher education, including serving as the president of Spelman College for 13 years. In her career as an educator, she found a sense of purpose in teaching her students about the significance of racial identity, how racism operates in society, and what can be done about racism. Believing that others could benefit from this knowledge as well, Tatum has given numerous talks and written several books which contribute a psychological perspective to the public discourse on racial issues.

In addition to her expertise in racial identity development, Tatum also draws heavily on her own life experiences throughout this book. She includes stories about growing up as a young Black woman in a predominantly White community as well as stories about raising two Black sons. She also discusses the things she has learned from working with her racially and ethnically diverse students over the years. Many of her students’ narratives about their own experiences are featured in this book.