Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

The international bestseller that changed how we talk about racism

Walk into any racially mixed secondary school and you will see young people clustered in their own groups according to race. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy?

Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned psychology Professor, guides us through how racial identity develops, from very young children all the way to adulthood, in black families, white families, and mixed race families, and helps us understand what we can do to break the silence, have better conversations with our children and with each other about race, and build a better world.

A mainstay on the bookshelves of American readers since 1998, and substantially revised and updated in 2017, this evergreen bestseller is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of race.

'A critically acclaimed book that gave readers a starting point to demystify conversations about race' The Atlantic

'A classic' Jodi Picoult


© Beverly Daniel Tatum 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Critics Review

  • A critically acclaimed book that gave readers a starting point to demystify conversations about race, better understand the concept of racial identity, and communicate across racial and ethnic divides

    The Atlantic
  • A must-read … a landmark publication. It is as fresh, poignant and timely as ever

    Earl Lewis
  • A classic … Beverly Tatum’s book is exactly the conversation opener we should be using

    Jodi Picoult
  • Her bestselling book on race and identity … It resonated with a wide audience – from teens and undergrads to psychologists and education students

    Chicago Tribune
  • Has become a modern classic in college and high school classrooms, used to educate and prompt healthy discussions among young people about race

    Inside Higher Ed

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