Begun by Puritans, the American jeremiad, a rhetoric that expresses indignation and urges social change, has produced passionate essays and speeches throughout the nation's history. This edition shows that the African American jeremiad is a vibrant tradition, serving as a barometer of faith in America's perfectibility and hope for social justice.

Showing that black leaders have employed the jeremiad in a specifically African-American way, Howard-Pitney discusses the speeches and writings of Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X and Alan Keyes among others.