For journalist, author and radio host Clay Cane, it’s all about uncovering the truth.
From earning a Black Studies degree at Rutgers University to publishing books such as 2017’s “Live Through This: Surviving the Intersections of Sexuality, God, and Race,” Cane’s dedication has been to Black history in the U.S.
“I’ve always been horrified at the erasure of our history,” said Cane. “I’ve always been disgusted by the long-term plan, which didn’t just start today. It started right after the Civil War, whitewashing our history.”
With his forthcoming book set for release on Jan. 30, the award-winning journalist’s latest spotlight is focused on the history of Black Republicans, spanning from after the Civil War to the modern day.
Entitled “The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans from the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump,” Cane delves into the journeys of influential Black figures in the Republican Party.
The book shifts focus from the era of Frederick Douglass, who helped shape the early Republican Party and advocated for both civil rights and community development, to contemporary Republicans – Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and more.
Emphasizing the presence of “grifters” in the Republican Party who have forsaken their principles, “The Grift” chronicles the GOP’s evolution towards extremism, highlighting how party leaders manipulate the legacy of Black Republicans to discredit Black voters who don’t align with their current agenda.
Excited to announce you can NOW pre-order 'THE GRIFT: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans from the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump' –> https://t.co/zzM3BEEtGg#TheGrift will be released Jan. 30, 2024 – will be available wherever books are sold! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/c0gloUYkDU
— Clay Cane (@claycane) July 20, 2023
Through the focus of one to three individuals per chapter and exclusive interviews with figures such as including the former RNC chair Michael Steele, the book exposes the “grifter formula” of Republicans as they marginalize any Black Republicans who are not willing to maintain “anti-Blackness” in the party.
With the latest threats on teaching Black history in Republican-led states and the upcoming 2024 election, Cane’s book comes at a time full of disinformation, attempts to dilute the votes of Black Americans as well as efforts to censor.
Last year, state officials in Florida made headlines as conservatives such as Gov. Ron DeSantis rejected the implementation of the AP Black History course, alleging that it placed a “political agenda” on students by discussing movements such as one mention of Black Lives Matter.
Conservative pushback led to the College Board, the creators of the course, changing the course by removing reparations and intersectionality. The newest additions to the course for 2024 have since brought back intersectionality with more focus on the Tulsa Race Massacre and discriminatory practices like redlining.
Along with blocking the teachings of Black history, DeSantis and other Republicans have targeted writings, enforcing book bans and investigations into over 800 titles focused on race, gender and sexual orientation.
Banned and challenged books include Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give,” Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” as well as Morrison’s “Beloved.”
“A book like this [The Grift] is so important because our history faces erasure,” said Cane. “It is facing erasure, and I care about the truth, and I care about our history.”
Meticulously researched, “The Grift” also provides a path forward, emphasizing the need for increased voting power and support for Black candidates.
As the stage is set for the 2024 presidential election, Republicans have ramped up efforts of voter suppression, most recently re-drawing maps in Georgia and North Carolina to swing the states in their favor.
Although U.S. district judges have ruled that maps need to be redrawn to prevent the dilution of Black American votes, the newly created districts violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as they target majority-Black neighborhoods.
Republicans also continue to push forward the elimination of same-day and mail-in voting through the proposal of acts such as the American Confidence in Elections Act. Through the excess voting restrictions, these officials are targeting groups such as BIPOC voters in an attempt to manipulate elections.
Cane hopes that his latest book will help readers with the challenges that will come with the upcoming election.
“I want people to realize that the other side is prepared and they will use anybody and anything for access to power,” explained Cane. “I want us to be as prepared, so I hope that this book rings the alarm. We are in a war for freedom in this country and that war can easily be lost. I know that because we’ve lost it before.”
“The Grift” is currently available for preorder here.
