Reviews with content warning for Classism - Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America

Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America by Michael Harriot

5 reviews

crybabybea's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This was sooo well done. This is my third book in the category of "large scope of Black history that often goes overlooked/is purposefully kept out of history books" and this was definitely my favorite one. Not only was it packed with information, but it was written in an extremely accessible way with a unique, entertaining voice.

It's really skillful how Michael Harriot was able to tackle very dark topics and injustices, but kept a sort of lighthearted tone that made the book easy to get through. Imagine taking a 15 hour lesson from your favorite history teacher -- the kind of teacher that clearly has an unmatched passion and an immense understanding of their topic and can make the lesson fun and engaging.

I know it feels wrong to categorize a book like this as "funny" or "fun", but it's the best word I have to offer. It's packed with dry sarcasm and footnotes in the author's voice to break up the long list of facts, dates, and statistics. I also appreciate the author's inclusion of entertaining stories to help break up the monotony. I liked being able to hear about prominent Black figures, not just how they suffered, but how they fought, resisted, and found meaning in their lives in a system so built against them. Michael Harriot also does a good job creating a web that connects all the figures and timelines, making connections between people that I had never heard before. I feel like when you think of history as it's taught in school, it tends to have a sort of disconnect between time periods and prominent figures. They almost exist in a vacuum and it's hard to imagine the different interwoven figures and events. Michael Harriot does an excellent job organizing them and helping the reader understand things as they happened, rather than just disconnected events on a linear timeline.

For all of its irreverence, there were some seriously heavy-hitting, beautiful quotes scattered throughout the chapters as well. My personal favorite was the very last page of the book:

Like its history, this nation is a mirage. Its greatness is a figment of a collective white imagination that envisions a bright, shining star where there is only a dumpster fire. America is a con artist. It is a counterfeit farce of a white country convinced of its own supremacy. It is a boot on every Black throat and noose on every negro neck.

Yet we remain.

Like the perseverance that overcomes white supremacy. Like the love that conquers hate. Like the truth that outshines injustice. Like the backs and hands and muscles and minds of the beloved Black diaspora that will collectively build this imperfect union into a home. If this nation ever truly becomes a post-racial society with liberty and justice for all, let the history of Black people in America reflect:

We were doing it first.

Fantastic and 100% worth the read.

Content Warnings