New Books Network Fighting for a Foothold: How Government and Markets Undermine Black Middle-Class Suburbia
May 7, 2026
Dr. Angela Simms, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College and author of Fighting for a Foothold, explores Prince George’s County as a Black middle-class suburban case study. She discusses fiscal strains, budget trade-offs, retail redlining, regional subsidy dynamics, and policy ideas like pooled resources, market regulation, and targeted reparations. Short, clear, and urgent.
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Prince George's As An Extreme Test Case
- Prince George's County is an extreme case to test whether a concentrated Black middle class can fully realize material returns.
- It holds the highest concentration of Black middle-class residents and Black political leadership, yet still faces fiscal shortfalls that limit public goods.
Race As Foundational Organizing Logic
- Simms argues race was foundational to U.S. institutions, making whiteness a form of property that organized consent across classes.
- That historical design explains why race trumps other statuses in shaping rights, violence, and political coalitions.
Public Goods Are The Material Foundation
- Public goods and services (water, roads, schools) form the material foundation of quality of life and require continual public investment.
- When local governments lack funds, everyday infrastructure fails and equity opportunities vanish, revealing the stakes of fiscal policy.
