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A review by wanderlust_romance
Black Disability Politics by Sami Schalk
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
The author notes very specifically in the preface and introduction to Black Disability Politics that this book is directed towards a Black, disabled, and activist audience. Schalk notes that non-Black and non-disabled readers are welcome to listen and learn from the information provided therein. I appreciated this explicit call out, as it helped to frame my own processing of the text and simultaneously checking my own internalized ableism and anti-Blackness. This text is highly educational and a valuable read.
Black Disability Politics is a thorough and well researched text that defines Black disability politics and provides both historical examples and context for it's development while also discussing its impact on Black cultural workers (an umbrella term Schalk uses to encapsulate social justice activists, researchers, artists, etc). The writing is academic in tone. In comparison to a few of the other nonfiction I have read that center the Black experience and disability, Black Disability Politics felt weightier but still approachable for an audience outside of academia. I found the chapters that centered the work of the Black Panther Party especially fascinating. Additionally, the praxis interludes included between the first second portions of the book were helpful breaks for reader reflection on the lessons provided in the preceding chapters.
I listened to BDP via Hoopla through my local library and would recommend if you enjoy non-fiction in audio format. The book was narrated by Imani Barbarin (also known as educator and content creator @crutches_and_spice) who does an excellent job narrating this text.
Black Disability Politics is a thorough and well researched text that defines Black disability politics and provides both historical examples and context for it's development while also discussing its impact on Black cultural workers (an umbrella term Schalk uses to encapsulate social justice activists, researchers, artists, etc). The writing is academic in tone. In comparison to a few of the other nonfiction I have read that center the Black experience and disability, Black Disability Politics felt weightier but still approachable for an audience outside of academia. I found the chapters that centered the work of the Black Panther Party especially fascinating. Additionally, the praxis interludes included between the first second portions of the book were helpful breaks for reader reflection on the lessons provided in the preceding chapters.
I listened to BDP via Hoopla through my local library and would recommend if you enjoy non-fiction in audio format. The book was narrated by Imani Barbarin (also known as educator and content creator @crutches_and_spice) who does an excellent job narrating this text.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content