Make up day is today. My apologies for last week guys. Here's your space for Walter Johnson's Soul By Soul.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.
Ta-Nehisi Coates is a national correspondent for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues. He is the author of The Beautiful Struggle, Between the World and Me, and We Were Eight Years in Power.