Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America (September 2021)
A Cold Civil War has engulfed the nation.
After a deadly pandemic, shocking incidents of police brutality, a racial justice crisis, and the fall of a dangerous demagogue, America remains more divided than at any time in decades. At the heart of this national crisis is the fear of a darkening America—a country in which there is no longer a predominant white majority.
As the Republican Party has lost the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections, its leaders have incited white Americans in a last-ditch race against time to stop the advance of a new, multiracial emerging majority.
Boykin’s book weaves the author’s unique personal experiences into his broader discussion of race and politics. Whether attending law school with future President Barack Obama, working in the White House with President Bill Clinton, negotiating with Louis Farrakhan, or traveling on a presidential mission to Africa with civil rights legends Coretta Scott King, Dorothy Height and Jesse Jackson, Boykin has been at the center of the nation’s conversations on race and politics for three decades. Along the way, he’s interacted with a wide range of influential people, including former DNC chair Donna Brazile, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, NBA star Kobe Bryant, critical race theory co-founder Derrick Bell, former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, and even bank CEO Jamie Dimon. He tells these stories, and many others, in Race Against Time.
America can no longer avoid its long overdue reckoning with the past, Boykin argues. He urges us to fight racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia, and save the union, not just by making Black lives matter, but by making Black lives equal.
FOR COLORED BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS STILL NOT ENOUGH: COMING OF AGE, COMING OUT, AND COMING HOME (2012)
“For Colored Boys is a worthy addition to one’s library if for no other reason than the fact that it bears witness to the persecution of gay men and lets readers know that there are others who not only have shared their pain, but have found a way to survive and thrive.” - Lambda Literary Review
“I came out at the age of 27, now at the age of 43, there comes a compilation of experiences that I wish others could have shared with me during my awakening as a gay black man. Even more so when I was a questioning teenager. As I joined in on the reflection of growth the contributors put forth, I was amazed at how much I had survived and grateful that young black men today have a reference to help them navigate the dicey waters of identity.” - Amazon.com reader review
- Winner of the American Library Association Stonewall Award for Nonfiction in 2013
- Nominated for a Lambda Literary Award
- Features more than 40 authors
- Includes works by James Earl Hardy, Clay Cane, Topher Campbell and B. Scott
Beyond the down low: sex, lies, and denial in black america (2005)
“Boykin adds a great deal of balance to a debate that has been aflame for years.” - Washington Post
“An astute, clear-eyed look at a complex issue…Keith Boykin’s new book is an excellent analysis of a complex social and sexual phenomenon.” - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Keith Boykin writes about three of the most explosive topics in American culture – sex, race and politics – from a cool, rational perspective.” - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“Amazing candor and wisdom backed by some serious research and social analysis.” - Time Out New York
“Boykin, an Ivy League-educated journalist/commentator and former White House aide, thankfully applies reason to this controversy. The result is both personal memoir and thorough analysis…Taking on an investigator’s role, he dismantles the hyperbole usually attending such matters. Most readers will also appreciate the honesty with which Boykin describes his own life. All these factors make for a riveting read that deserves the widest audience.” - Library Journal
“Boykin lucidly draws on science as well as personal experience in this important book.” - Publishers Weekly
“A major part of Boykin’s work is answering half-truths and distortions.” - Crisis Magazine
“Keith Boykin casts a cold eye on the hot-button issue of the down low…By the end, he’s buried stereotypes and unearthed the true social forces driving the culture.” - POZ Magazine
Respecting the soul: daily reflections for black lesbians and gays (1999)
“Put it on your night stand! This book is a real gem for meditation. It is pocket-sized, and each page correspond to a day in the calendar.” - Amazon.com customer review
“Keith Boykin masterfully chronicles an inspirational piece that can only encourage the often discouraged and uplift the down trodden. Keith Boykin is a light in the lives of those who often find them selves in the dark shadows of abandonment and homophobia. A MUST READ for every L/G/B/T person, their famliy and friends. Boykin’s latest offering is the breath of fresh air that the community has been looking for.” - Ricc Rollins, author of Like Breathing
“Keith Boykin has once again pioneered and delivers a soul inspiring daily meditation guide for black gays and lesbians. His commentary on love, faith, courage, determination and other topics offers thought-provoking food for thought and encouragement. His daily inspirations are not only spiritually moving, but also intellectually stimulating. This book is a must read for all L/G/B/T people. Finally, Respecting the Soul makes the perfect gift for all occasions.” - Amazon.com reader review
- Winner of the Lambda Literary Award
ONE More River To Cross: Black & Gay In America (1996)
“An important addition to the dialogue of tolerance this nation needs to embrace.” - Boston Globe
“Shows with quiet but unassailable logic how prejudice can flourish in any part of the culture and prevent everyone from crossing that final river.” - San Francisco Chronicle
“It’s a damned difficult task. Yet One More River to Cross is nothing if not lucid … [Keith Boykin’s] book sparkles with frankness and intelligence.” - The Advocate
“A very significant contribution to America’s ability to understand itself in all its dimensions.” - Rep. Barney Frank
“Thoughtful and measured yet provocative and fearless, masterfully unraveling many of the complexities surrounding race and sexual orientation in America today.” - Michelangelo Signorile, author of Queer in America
“In his brilliant and concise One More River to Cross, Keith Boykin introduces us to the real people behind the stereotypes…This tell-it-like-it-is book will affirm our faith and the unity of our diversity in the home in that rock we proudly call Black America.” - E. Lynn Harris, bestselling author