Though set in the 1970s, Inventions reflects the on-going reality of today. This past year, a Washington Post poll reported that Black men in America are deeply divided over how they see themselves in the United States.  They have the same ambitions as most Americans for a loving marriage, career success, children and respect.  They perceive a country that has opportunities for advancement and models for success.  At the same time, they express fear that their hold on the good life is fragile, in part due to the discrimination they continue to experience in their lives.  The suicide rate among young Black men has doubled since 1989.  Today, in cities such as New York and Chicago, some estimates put the number of unemployed black males at 50 percent.   Long term African American unemployment is now at a 20 year high.  One in four Black men have not worked for at least a year, twice the rate for non-Hispanic whites or Latinos.

The poll reports that sixty percent of Black males believe their collective problems owe more to what they have failed to do themselves than what white people have done to them.   Yet fifty percent report they have been unfairly treated by the police, and a majority believe the economic system is stacked against them.  More than half said they place a high value on marriage, though sixty percent said that Black men disrespect black women. 

Tavis Smiley’s book, the Covenant, points out that one of every three Black males born today can expect to go to prison, and that thirteen percent of African American men have lost the right to vote as a result of a felony  conviction - seven times the national average. It further states that nationwide, young Black offenders are more than twice as likely to be transferred to adult court than their white counterparts.

In the Washington Post poll, a project administrator from Stone Mountain, Georgia indicated

“ I’ve worked in corporate America for twenty years, and I see a lot of white males, but I don’t see a lot of Black males.  I see more Black women than Black males.  Black women are less threatening than black men.”

The poll further indicates that forty percent of Black men are fearful they will lose their job, nearly double the percentage of white men that feel the same way.  Even more affluent, better educated Black men are far more anxious about being fired or laid off than white males and white females.

In his book, The Rage of a Privileged Class, Ellis Cose sites the discontent of many Black professionals.  They complained about being left out of informal communication networks, and of not being in on things.  Few reported having mentors or anyone at high levels in their organizations who took a supportive interest in their careers.  More recently, in the book Black Power Inc., Cora Daniels discusses  the isolation, pressure and frustration that  today's generation of thirty something year old Black executives feel.  She quotes some as saying, "Do they notice? Wow, there's only one black guy here?" She says the difference is  this generation admits they don't have the power to change things and create a level field, so they are driven to succeed completely on their own terms.  Ms. Daniels also points to a study released in 2002 that found that overall African Americans have a 41 % chance of being discriminated against no matter what their level or what industry.  Black professionals and managers in corporate America stand nearly a 30% chance of being discriminated against on the job.  The study found that 10% of the companies have exhibited what the EEOC calls "hard core" discrimination against African Americans for more than a decade.
 

In part because of these barriers and a society that does not give them equal education, many Black males have turned away from pursuing the American dream through education, and pursuit of job success through the corporate world.  According to the most recent statistics, the nationwide college graduation rate for enrolled Black students is only 40 percent compared to 61 percent of enrolled white students.

Yet, despite these concerns and obstacles, the Washington Post poll reports that  Black men strongly believe in the American dream.  Ninety percent would tell their sons they can become anything they want in life.  However, two-thirds would tell their sons they will have to be better and work harder  than whites for equal rewards.

In today’s world, where some Blacks view getting an education as inauthentic, Inventions portrays the tremendous opportunity that Blacks have today as well as the real problems they continue to face in business and in life.

Cora Daniels says the current generation of Black executives does not let their frustration and rage cripple them.  They use it as motivation and strive to achieve because they are black.  They are looking for roles, positions, and status that will bring value for all Blacks.  They measure success by the influence, wealth and knowledge they can bring to the group.  And they view the business world as the best way to achieve this kind of Black success.   It is this arc that the main character in Inventions traverses. This is why the book may be more relevant to this generation than to the previous generation.