Justice and Inequality in The Nickel Boys and Between the World and Me

The characters in Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys and Ta-Nehisi Coates in Between the World and Me have difficult encounters with the legal system, police officers, and figures of authority. These episodes provide opportunities for the authors to reflect on the systemic treatment of African Americans. Using these texts, examine the problematic relationship between people of color and the justice system.