Author and political commentator Eddie Glaude Jr. has released a new book exploring how racial injustice persists during major U.S. anniversaries.

The work examines the tension between national celebration and the lived experience of marginalized groups. By analyzing how the country commemorates its milestones, Glaude argues that these events often sideline or cover up the systemic inequities that continue to define the American experience.

The book, titled “America, U.S.A.: How Race Shadows (or Overshadows) the Nation’s Anniversaries,” has prompted discussions across several media platforms. A panel on MSNBC’s Morning Joe discussed the text's central thesis regarding the masking of racial injustice [1]. Additionally, Glaude said to Scott Tong, a co-host for WBUR’s Here & Now, how race interacts with national memory [2].

Critical reception has noted the emotional weight of the analysis. A review published by The New York Times on May 25, 2026 [3], said that in the book, Glaude looks back at the country’s past anniversaries with skepticism and pain.

Throughout the text, Glaude challenges the traditional narratives associated with U.S. history. He suggests that the celebratory nature of national holidays can act as a veil, obscuring the reality of racial violence, and legal exclusion that occurred during the same eras being celebrated.

The timing of the release coincides with a broader academic and public debate over how the U.S. should handle its historical legacy. By focusing on the specific mechanism of the anniversary, Glaude posits that the act of remembering is often a selective process that protects the national image at the expense of historical truth.

“National commemorations often sideline or cover up ongoing racial inequities in America.”

Glaude's work contributes to the ongoing sociological debate regarding 'collective memory.' By arguing that anniversaries serve as tools for erasure, he suggests that true national reconciliation requires a shift from celebratory commemorations to a more critical accounting of racial history.