An American Dilemma by Gunnar Myrdal

An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy is a 1944 study of race relations authored by Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal and funded by The Carnegie Foundation. The foundation chose Myrdal because it thought that as a non-American, he could offer a more unbiased opinion. Myrdal's volume, at nearly 1,500 pages, painstakingly detailed what he saw as obstacles to full participation in American society that African-Americans faced as of the 1940s. It sold over 100,000 copies and went through 25 printings before going into its second edition in 1965. It was enormously influential in how racial issues were viewed in the United States, and it was cited in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case "in general." The book was generally positive in its outlook on the future of race relations in America, taking the view that democracy would triumph over racism. In many ways it laid the groundwork for future policies of racial integration and affirmative action.

The 165th greatest nonfiction book of all time


This book is on the following lists:

  1. - 22nd on The Modern Library | 100 Best Nonfiction (The Modern Library)
  2. - 50th on The 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the Century (National Review)

Buy This Book

Name Binding Sales Rank Lowest New Lowest Used Published
An American Dilemma (The Negro Social Structure, Volume 2) Paperback 11670376 $19.52
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy, Volume 1 (Black & African-American Studies) Kindle Edition 1198282 $39.27 2017
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy (Black and African-American Studies) Paperback 2379591 $35.00 1996
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy Hardcover 701135 $15.76
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy, 20th Anniversary Edition by Gunnar Myrdal (1962-06-01) Hardcover 4169771 $257.39 $72.32
An American Dilemma; The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy; Volume I Hardcover 670019 $6.65
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy - Volume 1 Paperback 2047056 $17.95
AN AMERICAN DILEMMA: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy in 2 Volumes Hardcover 938063 $56.00
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem & Modern Democracy, Vol. 1 Paperback 2599380 $79.55 $30.96 1975
An American Dilemma: the Negro Problem and Modern Democracy (2 Volume Set) Hardcover 9596206 $275.00 1944
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy, Volume 1 (Black & African-American Studies) Paperback 978881 $51.44 $43.39 1995
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy, Volume 2 (Black & African-American Studies) Paperback 1264424 $54.20 $50.00 1996
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy, Volume 1 (Black & African-American Studies) Kindle Edition 804267 2017