kaceychilvers's review against another edition
3.0
This was sold to me as the American version of Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race and that very interaction could likely have been discussed in this book.
Other than discussing the causes, maintenance and solutions to racism, these books have nothing in common. They are both good books (and if you enjoy one, you'll likely enjoy the other) but Eddo-Lodge's was more an exploration of the history of racism in the UK compared to Kendi's work which is a part autobiographical, part essays.
Ultimately, that was this book's strength and weakness. Some of the essays were very dense (and given the subject matter, they couldn't really be anything else) while others flowed better. Unfortunately, I think some of the best chapters are nearer the back of the book so if you are experiencing the same issue, either power through or mix up the chapter order.
Pros and cons aside, I would consider this a must read because like Eddo-Lodge, Kendi does an excellent job at travelling the depths of racism within their country.
Kendi particularly impressed me with the way he challenged the reader to look at the intersectionality of racism. Kendi describes racism as a cancer and I agree but if I had to come up with my own metaphor, I'd describe racism as a inter-twining mess of Venn-diagrams. Ethnicity overlapping with gender in places, class in others, along with sexuality, location and everything else you can think of.
It's a good book on a terrible topic.
Other than discussing the causes, maintenance and solutions to racism, these books have nothing in common. They are both good books (and if you enjoy one, you'll likely enjoy the other) but Eddo-Lodge's was more an exploration of the history of racism in the UK compared to Kendi's work which is a part autobiographical, part essays.
Ultimately, that was this book's strength and weakness. Some of the essays were very dense (and given the subject matter, they couldn't really be anything else) while others flowed better. Unfortunately, I think some of the best chapters are nearer the back of the book so if you are experiencing the same issue, either power through or mix up the chapter order.
Pros and cons aside, I would consider this a must read because like Eddo-Lodge, Kendi does an excellent job at travelling the depths of racism within their country.
Kendi particularly impressed me with the way he challenged the reader to look at the intersectionality of racism. Kendi describes racism as a cancer and I agree but if I had to come up with my own metaphor, I'd describe racism as a inter-twining mess of Venn-diagrams. Ethnicity overlapping with gender in places, class in others, along with sexuality, location and everything else you can think of.
It's a good book on a terrible topic.
swimmingwolf59's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This is an extremely helpful book for anyone trying to unlearn racist biases and learn how to recognize racist policies and inequities in the world around us. Ibram Kendi combines definitions, history, and examples with his personal journey of becoming an antiracist, making the book approachable and easy to understand. He also separates each chapter into different forms of racism, and how it connects with other bigotries and systems, making the book a very comprehensive guide. I highly recommend this book - I think it should be required reading in school.
paigereitz's review against another edition
5.0
Really powerful read. I started it initially in 2020, lost track of it, and picked it back up more recently. Intensely thought provoking, with a clear call to action.
carrienation76's review against another edition
5.0
Kendi continues the evolution of the framework presented in Stamped from the Beginning, of classifying ideas and policies as either segregationist, assimilationist, or antiractist. Through effective storytelling rooted in his and his family's lives, Kendi illustrates how this framework plays out around key intersections: class, gender, sexuality, etc.
The framework is clear and effective. The call to action is simple: Identify and replace racist policy in institutions (and racist ideas in one's self) with antiracist policies and ideas that supports the equality and value of all races.
The interweaving of the framework with intimate examples from Kendi's own life is highly effective. The vulnerability in his writing is so deeply human that it reverberates through to the reader's lived experiences. Beyond the core call to action, the steps are a little less clear - peppered instead throughout the chapters without a culminating line of action. Still, Kendi provides the tools for self-critique and the motivation to do so continuously.
The framework is clear and effective. The call to action is simple: Identify and replace racist policy in institutions (and racist ideas in one's self) with antiracist policies and ideas that supports the equality and value of all races.
The interweaving of the framework with intimate examples from Kendi's own life is highly effective. The vulnerability in his writing is so deeply human that it reverberates through to the reader's lived experiences. Beyond the core call to action, the steps are a little less clear - peppered instead throughout the chapters without a culminating line of action. Still, Kendi provides the tools for self-critique and the motivation to do so continuously.
1librarianspath's review against another edition
4.5
A plainly written, easy to understand look at Kendi’s journey towards becoming an anti-racist, and how the rest of us can work towards that too. This book is packed full of theories, quotes, and life experiences. Kendi doesn’t hold back from scrutinising his own beliefs, how these have changed over time, and where/what we should be aiming for.
caitgatsby's review against another edition
4.0
Thorough and nuanced; at times a little hard to follow (dense) on audio
alannabarras's review against another edition
5.0
This may not be the very first book to pick up when starting your education about racism (I recommend something like The Skin We're In - more anecdotal, but helps build the emotional context of why this is so important for those who have enough privilege in their day to day that the constant underlying trauma of living in a racist system/society is not immediately obvious) but it should definitely be at the top of the list. How to Be an Antiracist is meticulously researched and notated, and walks the reader though the author's personal journey towards antiracism even as it introduces the various concepts.
I specifically loved two concepts in the book:
1) Racist is a verb, not an insult, and it is based off of your impact rather than your intentions. Because of this, there is no 'colorblind' or not-racist. There are people who are having an anti-racist impact by actively working to dismantle racist systems or educate racist individuals, and there are people who are having a racist impact by either actively OR PASSIVELY upholding racist systems. This means it doesn't matter if you personally believe a person's worth can be judged by the color of their skin - if you're supporting racist policies such as Stop and Frisk, you're having a racist impact on the world.
2) Systematic racism means that racism has been built into the system, in such a way that keeping the system but filling it entirely with non-racist individuals would still result in racist results. Think of the racist housing/mortgage practices throughout recent US history, or major US colleges depending on SAT/ACT scores for admission when its been proven these tests check students ability to prep for and take tests more than their ability to think. Even just the practice of legacy admissions - harmless on the surface, but you know that the great-grandfather of today's legacy was a rich white landowner. Nobody is claiming that admissions offices are being actively racist/prejudiced by continuing the legacy admission practice, but its equally inarguable that this policy has a racist impact, because today's legacies are benefiting from the active racism of decades past.
Because each chapter is broken out to have a definition of a term relating to racism, an anecdote from Kendi's life, and a discussion on a concept relating to antiracism, this would be a great book to use as a monthly/weekly discussion group focusing on a single chapter at a time.
I read this book on kindle which was great for highlighting some of my favorite passages, but I plan to reread this periodically in future, so I will be buying a physical copy to keep on my bookshelf as a visible reminder.
I specifically loved two concepts in the book:
1) Racist is a verb, not an insult, and it is based off of your impact rather than your intentions. Because of this, there is no 'colorblind' or not-racist. There are people who are having an anti-racist impact by actively working to dismantle racist systems or educate racist individuals, and there are people who are having a racist impact by either actively OR PASSIVELY upholding racist systems. This means it doesn't matter if you personally believe a person's worth can be judged by the color of their skin - if you're supporting racist policies such as Stop and Frisk, you're having a racist impact on the world.
2) Systematic racism means that racism has been built into the system, in such a way that keeping the system but filling it entirely with non-racist individuals would still result in racist results. Think of the racist housing/mortgage practices throughout recent US history, or major US colleges depending on SAT/ACT scores for admission when its been proven these tests check students ability to prep for and take tests more than their ability to think. Even just the practice of legacy admissions - harmless on the surface, but you know that the great-grandfather of today's legacy was a rich white landowner. Nobody is claiming that admissions offices are being actively racist/prejudiced by continuing the legacy admission practice, but its equally inarguable that this policy has a racist impact, because today's legacies are benefiting from the active racism of decades past.
Because each chapter is broken out to have a definition of a term relating to racism, an anecdote from Kendi's life, and a discussion on a concept relating to antiracism, this would be a great book to use as a monthly/weekly discussion group focusing on a single chapter at a time.
I read this book on kindle which was great for highlighting some of my favorite passages, but I plan to reread this periodically in future, so I will be buying a physical copy to keep on my bookshelf as a visible reminder.
nickfourtimes's review against another edition
4.0
1) "What's the problem with being 'not racist'? It is a claim that signifies neutrality: 'I am not a racist, but neither am I aggressively against racism.' But there is no neutrality in the racism struggle. The opposite of 'racist' isn't 'not racist.' It is 'antiracist.' What's the difference? One endorses either the idea of a racial hierarchy as a racist, or racial equality as an antiracist. One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an antiracist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist. There is no inbetween safe space of 'not racist.' The claim of 'not racist' neutrality is a mask for racism. This may seem harsh, but it's important at the outset that we apply one of the core principles of antiracism, which is to return the word 'racist' itself back to its proper usage. 'Racist' is not—as Richard Spencer argues—a pejorative. It is not the worst word in the English language; it is not the equivalent of a slur. It is descriptive, and the only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it and then dismantle it. The attempt to turn this usefully descriptive term into an almost unusable slur is, of course, designed to do the opposite: to freeze us into inaction."
2) "We are surrounded by racial inequity, as visible as the law, as hidden as our private thoughts. The question for each of us is: What side of history will we stand on? A racist is someone who is supporting a racist policy by their actions or inaction or expressing a racist idea. An antiracist is someone who is supporting an antiracist policy by their actions or expressing an antiracist idea. 'Racist' and 'antiracist' are like peelable name tags that are placed and replaced based on what someone is doing or not doing, supporting or expressing in each moment. These are not permanent tattoos. No one becomes a racist or antiracist. We can only strive to be one or the other. We can unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist. Like fighting an addiction, being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination."
3) "Black individuals have, of course, suffered trauma from slavery and ongoing oppression. Some individuals throughout history have exhibited negative behaviors related to this trauma. DeGruy is a hero for ushering the constructs of trauma, damage, and healing into our understanding of Black life. But there is a thin line between an antiracist saying individual Blacks have suffered trauma and a racist saying Blacks are a traumatized people. There is similarly a thin line between an antiracist saying slavery was debilitating and a racist saying Blacks are a debilitated people. The latter constructions erase whole swaths of history: for instance, the story of even the first generation of emancipated Black people, who moved straight from plantations into the Union army, into politics, labor organizing, Union leagues, artistry, entrepreneurship, club building, church building, school building, community building—buildings more commonly razed by the fiery hand of racist terrorism than by any self-destructive hands of behavioral deficiencies derived from the trauma of slavery."
4) "We called our African American studies space a Black space—it was, after all, governed primarily by Black bodies, Black thoughts, Black cultures, and Black histories. Of course, the spaces at Temple University governed primarily by White bodies, White thoughts, White cultures, and White histories were not labeled White. They hid the Whiteness of their spaces behind the veil of color blindness."
5) "The original problem of racism has not been solved by suasion. Knowledge is only power if knowledge is put to the struggle for power. Changing minds is not a movement. Critiquing racism is not activism. Changing minds is not activism. An activist produces power and policy change, not mental change. If a person has no record of power or policy change, then that person is not an activist."
2) "We are surrounded by racial inequity, as visible as the law, as hidden as our private thoughts. The question for each of us is: What side of history will we stand on? A racist is someone who is supporting a racist policy by their actions or inaction or expressing a racist idea. An antiracist is someone who is supporting an antiracist policy by their actions or expressing an antiracist idea. 'Racist' and 'antiracist' are like peelable name tags that are placed and replaced based on what someone is doing or not doing, supporting or expressing in each moment. These are not permanent tattoos. No one becomes a racist or antiracist. We can only strive to be one or the other. We can unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist. Like fighting an addiction, being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination."
3) "Black individuals have, of course, suffered trauma from slavery and ongoing oppression. Some individuals throughout history have exhibited negative behaviors related to this trauma. DeGruy is a hero for ushering the constructs of trauma, damage, and healing into our understanding of Black life. But there is a thin line between an antiracist saying individual Blacks have suffered trauma and a racist saying Blacks are a traumatized people. There is similarly a thin line between an antiracist saying slavery was debilitating and a racist saying Blacks are a debilitated people. The latter constructions erase whole swaths of history: for instance, the story of even the first generation of emancipated Black people, who moved straight from plantations into the Union army, into politics, labor organizing, Union leagues, artistry, entrepreneurship, club building, church building, school building, community building—buildings more commonly razed by the fiery hand of racist terrorism than by any self-destructive hands of behavioral deficiencies derived from the trauma of slavery."
4) "We called our African American studies space a Black space—it was, after all, governed primarily by Black bodies, Black thoughts, Black cultures, and Black histories. Of course, the spaces at Temple University governed primarily by White bodies, White thoughts, White cultures, and White histories were not labeled White. They hid the Whiteness of their spaces behind the veil of color blindness."
5) "The original problem of racism has not been solved by suasion. Knowledge is only power if knowledge is put to the struggle for power. Changing minds is not a movement. Critiquing racism is not activism. Changing minds is not activism. An activist produces power and policy change, not mental change. If a person has no record of power or policy change, then that person is not an activist."
anikaas's review against another edition
4.0
Really great book that got me thinking in new ways. The part that was lacking for me was the next steps. Ok, we’ve identified that policies should be anti racist, but what policies should that be? I needed some concrete action items. But appreciated all the reframing of thinking.