Mechanics' Hall Book Discussion Group (October)

The Mechanics’ Hall Book Discussion group meets to chat about books by exceptional thinkers and artists.

Everyone is welcome, and ongoing attendance is not required. The group is free for Mechanics' Hall Members.

Curious about the group but not a Mechanics' Hall member? You're invited to stop by! If you like what you hear, consider becoming a member.

OCTOBER BOOK SELECTION

Archer, Deborah, Dividing Lines: How Transportation Infrastructure Reinforces Racial Inequality (2025)

Archer, a law professor at New York University and the president of the American Civil Liberties Union, illustrates the oft-told story of the government’s complicity in racial discrimination and segregation with a focus on highway construction, street planning, and mass transit.

“In the history of the United States,” she asserts, “transportation infrastructure is, and always has been, a political act.” Bluntly put, it is “white supremacy by another means.” With racial inequality endemic to America, it is no surprise that interstate highways in cities divide Black from white communities, streets are arranged to prevent Black people from driving into white neighborhoods, punitive policing disproportionately targets Black motorists and pedestrians, bus transit is highly racialized, sidewalks are fewer and poorly maintained in Black neighborhoods, and regional rail lines mainly serve white commuters. Archer deploys numerous examples from cities such as Birmingham and Indianapolis to describe the racial consequences of transportation policy while highlighting court decisions that have either reinforced racism or left it unchanged.

Of particular concern are Supreme Court rulings that require a finding of intent, rather than overwhelming statistical evidence, to demonstrate racial injustice. Only a single chapter, however, is devoted to a serious legal analysis. Archer calls for a reparative approach that compensates for prior disadvantages and proposes mandatory Racial Equity Impact Assessments for all policy initiatives. Little is said about how this would work. Nevertheless, Archer deftly documents the detrimental effects of transportation policy on Black mobility and does so while acknowledging governmental policies (such as mortgage redlining) that have also contributed to Black inequality. Given her legal activism, one wishes that she had more critically attended to transportation politics and, by doing so, elaborated a path toward a just transportation policy agenda.

[Kirkus Reviews]

FULL LIST OF SELECTIONS

October 9: by Deborah Archer (2025)

November 4: by Elaine Feeney(2023)

December 2: by Cynthia Reeves (2024)

January 6: by Amy Bass (2018)

February 3: by Percival Everett(2024)

March 3: by Charlie English (2025)

May 5: by Brit Bennett (2022)

PARKING & TRANSPORTATION

Mechanics’ Hall is located at 519 Congress Street. Our main entrance is between Loquat Shop and the Art Mart. The Greater Portland Metro’s Congress & Casco Street Stop is directly in front of our building, served by routes 1, 7, 8, and 9B.

Parking is available at the Arts District Garage, which has entrances on Casco and Brown Street, with a rate of $5 per hour. Metered street parking is available on Congress, Casco, Cumberland, Free Street, and other nearby streets. Free hourly street parking is available between Parris and Alder Street.

ACCESSIBILITY

To enter our building, patrons will need to navigate a single step. There is a wheelchair-accessible elevator and a ramp available upon request.

If you have a wheelchair or need accessibility accommodations/questions please contact us at [email protected] or 207-773-8396.

Host or Publisher Mechanics' Hall (Maine)