Clean and White

"Clean and White" explores the history of environmental racism in the United States, examining how ideas linking race and hygiene have influenced societal divisions, waste management, and environmental inequality from the era of Thomas Jefferson to today. The book traces how marginalized groups have historically been associated with waste and how these perceptions have shaped American social and environmental policies over centuries. Drawing on a wide range of sources, it highlights the ways in which notions of purity and pollution have been intertwined with racial stereotypes, with lasting implications for environmental justice.