Ralph Eubanks for When It's Darkness on the Delta

Overview

"When It's Darkness on the Delta is as brilliant and necessary as the greatest books made by a Mississippian....Goodness gracious. We are thankful."

--Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy

Author Ralph Eubanks in conversation with Wright Thompson for When It's Darkness on the Delta, an essential new look at the roots of American inequality--and the seeds of its transformation.

About the book

“This is an important book. Eubanks speaks truth to power about an iconic and ill-understood American landscape and proves beyond question that as the Mississippi Delta goes, so goes our republic.”

—Richard Ford

Once the powerhouse of a fledgling country’s economy, the Mississippi Delta has been consigned to a narrative of destitution. It is often faulted for the sins of the South, portrayed as a regional backwater that willfully cleaved itself from the modern world. But buried beneath the weight of good ol’ boy politics and white-washed histories lies the Delta’s true story.

Eubanks delivers a powerful and insightful examination of how racism and economic instability have shaped life in the Mississippi Delta. He traces the enduring consequences of political decisions that have entrenched inequality across generations. At the same time, he brings attention to the resilience of local communities and the grassroots movements working toward meaningful change. The book offers a thoughtful framework for policy reform and community investment, underscoring the need to support those who have long sustained the region through their labor and lived experience.