Dallas Urban Bird's reviews

This book is a transcription of oral histories taken from people in the South who lived during the Jim Crow era. They are taken from a wide variety of people : sharecroppers, mine workers, domestic workers, and students. It describes the everyday abuse, big and small, African Americans faced in their segregated society. Some just tried to survive and abide by the "rules" as best they could because not abiding by the rules could mean violence to them and their families, including lynching. But some pushed back, especially in the work place, for better pay and better jobs. This book is disturbing as well as encouraging in its description of the resilience of the human spirit.

In this book, Mr. Currie reviews the countless studies of violence in the Black community, going back to a study by W.E.B Du Bois. In all of them, the conclusion is that this violence is a result of systemic racism, resulting in hopelessness, frustration, and anger. At the end of the book he provides some difficult solutions but ones that must be made to improve the lives of those in these communities.

In this well-organized book, Mr. Kendi explains the difference between a nonracist and an antiracist. An antiracist takes concrete action to change racist policy and make the lives of people of color better. If you are interested in activism in this area, this book would be a good place to start.