A Love Letter to Black People: Audaciously Hopeful Thoughts on Race and Success

Brian McClellan
Sherian Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780979567650
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (1/09)




Brian McClellan has written a book that is not only inspirational, but it is full of wisdom to empower the Black community. His down-to-earth, straightforward information provides thought-provoking comments and, yet, lets the readers know that he is aware of the history of the Black people and he is not negating that.

Throughout the book he tells the Black community that they must love themselves first before they can move forward. He also asks “How many years must pass before we stop mapping everything back to slavery and Jim Crow and using it for a justification of a present that is unacceptable?” Yesterday may contribute to some of where we are today, but it is not an excuse for what happens tomorrow.

An interesting section of the book talks about learned helplessness- where an individual has learned to act and behave helpless in a particular situation, even when they have the power to change. Another section discusses “The Man” - someone whom we blame for all of our failures. The author states, “The man is you.” We set ourselves up for failure-no one else is the blame. We need to change our mindset.

During the course of reading the book, readers will see comments from successful Black individuals on how they dealt with the race question and what they did to overcome this block to their goals. Race issues will always be around. One needs to set a goal and the path they will take to get there. We all won’t be famous sports figures, or people like Oprah, but we can be successful in our life.

Although I am not the intended audience since I am white, I nevertheless found “A Love Letter to Black People” by Brian McClellan to be very inspiring and empowering. Deeper down the author is talking to all individuals who see failure every day. It’s time we began to work as unified people-not just individuals.

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