What an image.
Author: Walter Johnson
Publication: 2020
Genre: History
You ever find a book that makes you want to rage-quit America approximately twice per chapter?
Broken Heart is subtitled St Louis and the Violent History of the United States. The text more than delivers on the promise of violence. Johnson uses the history of St. Louis as a series of examples of the worst conduct in American history, from Indian wars to race riots to police shootings. It highlights some instances in which St. Louis was uniquely terrible in its treatment of black and brown and poor people, and others in which it was merely a uniquely good example of same.
I lived in St. Louis for five years during grad school. This book both confirmed a lot of things I had noticed and taught me about other horrors that escaped my eye.
A shortlist:
-The much-touted St. Louis World’s Fair featured a human zoo, possibly the world’s largest. It was in Forest Park, which I lived adjacent to and often visited. The park is now home to museums and an actual animal zoo. (Coincidentally, Broken Heart and my previous post, 1493, both include the sad story of Ota Benga.)
-St. Louis’ 4th of July celebration, often held downtown by the Arch but during my tenure mostly held in Forest Park, was begun by the Veiled Prophet association. The Veiled Prophet is a masked KKK-esque figure who heads a debutante ball every year to this day. Look that one up.
-St. Louis is the only U.S. city with four interstate highways. Several of them were put down by aggressively relocating Black communities.
-While many of the dead end streets in St. Louis are the product of recent changes, there are exceptions. Namely, the wealthy residences off of Lindell and Kingshighway are creations of the 1880s. The gates, the private security, all of it – is 140 years of the same BS. Remember the summer of 2020 and the angry white lawyer couple waving guns at protestors? Guess where they live.
Broken Heart is a good read. I’ll knock a few points off my review simply because Johnson’s agenda is a little too clear. As a reader I can make connections for myself, thanks. I do not need to be reminded every two pages that capitalism and racism are tied up in the same agenda. You mentioned.
Johnson also plays a little fast and loose with the details – like when he claims an area of the city is barren after highway construction. Well, no. Certainly the former housing no longer exists and the area is dramatically changed. But I’ve stayed in a hotel, visited a pub, and picked up packages from a UPS shipping center all in that area, so claims like that don’t ring true for me.
I’m not sure I can say I “enjoyed” this book due to its dark content. I do feel better informed after having read it. It may have a narrow audience, as it might hold less interest for someone not familiar with St. Louis, but I’ll argue that it’s an important read for that audience.