Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning

This is an incredible book explaining, in short, a history that should be required reading for everyone. It really shouldn’t just be a ‘teen’ book as I didn’t find it that way and very much enjoyed the style and pace of the book, I read it in full in one sitting. Also, I have found it quite humours reading through the negative reviews of people who’s children had to read it as it was ‘required reading’ at school. Clearly they should be the ones to be required to read this rather than judging!

Ibram X Kendi wrote a book called Stamped from the Beginning about the history of racism in America. Jason Reynolds (an amazing author who I highly recommend), took that book and rewrote it to make it easier for younger readers. And like with all Jason Reynolds books, I learned a lot. This is not a history book. It is a present book. Based on history. Spanning from colonization to today, he spells out how racism has evolved in this country. And he writes it like he’s standing here having a conversation with you. He focuses on three themes. Segregation, Assimilation, and Antiracism. Segregation – keeping white people and people of color separate. Keeping white people in power and black people down b/c they are less than. Assimilation – the idea that if black people could act more white (aka right), then everything would be fine. Antiracism – Knowing that human beings are human beings and that it is more than acceptable to be who you are, no matter the color of your skin. Or, as Jason explains it “ Segregationists are haters. Like, REAL haters. People who hate you for not being like them. Assimilationists are people who like you, but only with quotation marks. Like… “like” you. Meaning, they “like” you because you’re like them. And then there are antiracists. They LOVE you because you’re like you.” This book goes through the history of racism from 1415 through today. The different policies and plans to keep racism in the forefront and to keep white people in power. And the people who fought and are still fighting against it. It lays out piece by piece where certain theories of racism have come from and how they have been combatted and how we can continue the work. Everyone should read this book.

the more I read I understand about race and issues associated with it

I just started reading this book and find it to be an interesting, well written, age appropriate piece of literature. It is currently under threat of being removed from our NHC library because of one objection to its content. This book is not a referendum on one way of viewing the world. It is an educated commentary on several different perspectives regarding race with a clear statement that antiracism is the path that frees us from centuries of underlying ideas and attitudes fomenting one race over the other for personal gain. Racism comes in all shapes and colors; none of us are free from some such prejudices. However, reading a piece of literature that helps us think about historical events as a means of coming to terms with each of our own thoughts, feelings, experiences, and ideas can only serve to help us better understand our own motivations to act. It is also easy reading for high schoolers. Nice!

This is an excellent book to give to teens. Perfect to teach in class and set extended learning on; it is easy to read and follow. Excellently fluid facts and structure.