Clay Cane presents 'The Grift'

Third Place Books welcomes journalist and radio host Clay Cane to our Ravenna store! Cane will be discussing his new book, , in which he examines how the Republican party evolved into a safe space for racists and how Black Republicans attempt to gain power by aligning themselves with white supremacy. This event is free and open to the public.

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This event is free to attend. Registration is required in advance.

Once upon a time, Black Republicans were revolutionaries. Today, many see them as traitors, selling their souls for power. In 2021, Black conservatives are the greatest grift.

Journalist and radio host Clay Cane examines how the Republican party evolved into a safe space for racists and how Black Republicans attempt to gain power by aligning themselves with white supremacy. Black Republicans consistently make viral news, whether it’s Senator Tim Scott, 2016 presidential candidate Ben Carson, or radical conservative commentator Candace Owens, who proudly upholds white supremacy to gain power.

Why are they so popular? Where did they come from? And how did Black Republicans mutate from freedom fighters like Frederick Douglas to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron?

"Skin folk who ain’t kinfolk," as Zora Neale Hurston famously said, have always been dangerous to the progress of Black communities. They are grifters, invested in disenfranchising their own for proximity to power. Cane reveals this divergence in fascinating historical detail.

Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, radio host, political analyst, and a New York Times bestselling author. The Grift: The Downward Spiral of Black Republicans from the Party of Lincoln to the Cult of Trump, an instant New York Times bestseller, was released in January 2024. The Grift chronicles the nuanced history of Black Republicans from the time of President Lincoln to the present. He has contributed to numerous print and online publications, including CNN.com and The Washington Post. Cane has interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Dan Rather, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, Beyoncé Knowles, and more. Hailing from West Philadelphia and having resided in Washington State, Clay is an alumnus of Rutgers University, where he earned his B.A. in English and African-American Studies with distinction as a Phi Beta Kappa scholar.

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, Seattle, United States