Abstract: - A Nation on Fire by Clay Risen is indeed a masterpiece compelling and authentic account of the under reported
events which followed that tragic assassination of Martin Luther on 4 Apr 1968. It highlights the racial divide of urban USA. Despite quick deployment of
American Army in cities, the riots were sweeping day-by-day city-by-city from looting, burning, explosion violence across the country engulfing more than 120 cities. These tragic events of Apr 4-11, 1968 resulted in biggest grave yard where 39 dead, more than 2600 injured and 21000 were arrested. The damages were around $65 millions. USA
president and all those who were involved in handling national crisis knew that there was emergent need to handle the situation with firm hand and very swiftly. The hallmark in enactment of New Civil Right Law, 1968 decision by the president Lyndon Johnson rewrote course of American History.
Johnson administration had bad period where events in Vietnam and North Korea added fuel to riots of 1968 and he decided to withdraw from election. This gave silent majority to Nixon. He took presidential oath on 20 Jan 69. In his first state of union address in 1973 Nixon dispelled the fear of late 1960’s that America was falling apart. Thereafter America moved on road to prosperity and democratic values with new civil and political order.
Nation on Fire is a powerful, authentic and lucid account uncovering untold stories of 1968. It provides a peep into complexities of urban America and that makes it a wonderful reading.
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