Faces at the Bottom of the Well

In this book, Derrick Bell uses allegories and historical examples, including the story 'The Space Traders,' to argue that racism is an integral and permanent part of American society.

Bell contends that African American struggles for equality are doomed to fail unless the majority of whites see their own well-being threatened by the status quo.

He calls on African Americans to abandon a misplaced faith in inevitable progress and instead create viable strategies to alleviate the burdens of racism.

The book is a pioneering contribution to critical race theory and remains essential reading on the problem of racism in America.