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

I am an old, white man; Jason Reynolds did not write this book for me, and it took an act of will to be the person Reynolds is talking to, to let his breezy, effusively friendly narrator get close, stay close, and show me the panorama of history strung along a single thread. But it's worth it. Look for these three perspectives, this book advises: segregation, assimilation, and antiracism. The result is mind-bending. There aren't answers here, but there is a way of seeing, and I'm left hopeful that we can use that to see a way forward.

An interesting and enlightening read, though it didn’t quite work out the way I had expected (I thought it was more generic in nature. I totally forgot that the blurb mentions its focus on the USA.)

Jason Reynolds declares that this is not a history book. But a great chunk of it is dedicated to US history and how racism and anti-racism became mainstream topics in the country. The range of topics covered is vast: skin colour and religion based discrimination, how racist ideas began, historical racists, contemporary racism, biblical scriptures being used for racist thinking, white privilege, gender discrimination, interracial relationships, segregation, black power… It goes from one hard-hitting idea to another. More importantly, it show more does so in a chronological order such that the development of these thoughts over the centuries is made vividly clear.

Originally written by Ibram X. Kendi under the title “[b:Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America|25898216|Stamped from the Beginning The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America|Ibram X. Kendi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440457523l/25898216._SY75_.jpg|45781103]”, this adaptation by Jason Reynolds brings the ideas to the level of the teenage reader. And this is brilliantly done. He doesn’t shy away from complicated topics, but his approach – combining humour with history – makes this a superb book for its target segment.

I do wish it had been a bit more global in its approach; there was a lot of US history that I couldn’t connect with. (This, of course, is to be blamed on my erroneous expectations. The book didn’t claim that it wasn’t about the USA.) At the same time, there is no doubt that the problem of racism persists in various forms in almost all countries and more such books are required across the globe so that at least the next generation is better equipped to clean the mess made by their forefathers.

My favourite line among many thought-provoking quotes:
“There will come a time when we will love humanity, when we will gain the courage to fight for an equitable society for our beloved humanity, knowing, intelligently, that when we fight for humanity, we are fighting for ourselves.”

***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun. show less

This is the history that kids aren't getting in school. This is essential reading for all young people to begin to understand racism and anti-racism. Reynolds' "remix" of Kendi's work is told in a voice that will appeal to youth as a blunt call to action and enlightenment, with plenty of thought-provoking statements like "the world's first racist," Obama assimilating "under pressure," and all of Chapter 6. This merits repeat reads. In fact, don't borrow it from the library. Buy a copy to keep and refer to again. Backmatter includes source matter and a list of Further Reading.

This may be an uncomfortable book for some people. I don't think that's a bad thing though. I think acknowledging that will lead to some good, necessary, more uncomfortable, and challenging conversations. I think the conversation that this book can spark is what makes it a great read. There were things in this book that I didn't know or didn't view through the same lens as the author. Isn't that great though - to see the world through someone else's perspective. It's almost always about perspective and recognition.

"This is not a history book" begins this remix of Dr. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning, intended for a teenage audience but equally useful as an introduction to the subject for adults. Despite the disclaimer, there is quite a bit of history in the book, beginning in the 1600s and coming right up to the present day. Reynolds breaks down Kendi's segregationalists, assimilationists, and antiracists as the haters, the likers, and the lovers, and shows how anti-Black policies have been used to perpetuate racism even through Black thinkers such as W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington.

There is a lot to digest in this broad overview of 400 years of European and U.S. history - yeah, history, though it's certainly different from the history show more books I read as a kid and assumes a knowledge of the basics of U.S. history. Reynolds does a nice job of breaking things down without talking down to his audience, and listening to him read the audio version was an excellent way of reading this book for the first time. Once the text reached the time period where I was alive and aware of politics and policy, I thought the authors sometimes oversimplified some things, but I'm interested in reading the original and seeing if Dr. Kendi when into more detail. It's an engaging and provocative book sure to spark needed discussion. show less

I read this in one sitting.

I read Reynolds' Long Way Down a little over a year ago & was riveted; it's the kind of book that sucks you in & you inhale in one long breath. I don't read much YA so I was pleasantly surprised to have my world rocked by reading that book; my thinking at the time was that Reynolds would be an author I would read again. He writes with an immediate & compelling tone. I read part of Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (it's very detailed & I was reading it at a time when I didn't have a lot of concentration so I set it aside until I could give it my full concentration), as well as How to Be an Antiracist (which I read in full). Both of Kendi's books were show more challenging (in a good way) for me in that his writing requires me to read a small amount, then set the book aside so I can think about/process what he is saying. Rinse & repeat until I finish the book. I find Kendi's writing style requires slow & methodical reading on my part.

While as individual authors they both tackle very hard issues, Kendi writes more like a professor (deep & slow & thoughtful), while Reynolds writes more like your friend who is chatting to you as you walk down the street together (hip & fast & casual). It's a brilliant pairing & it makes this book perfect for the intended audience. Especially with the shift-change going on in the US (& around the world) right now re: race, this should be required reading in schools.

This book was published in March of this year, just slightly before George Floyd's murder. Talk about the right book at the right time. So much of it feels like it could have been written after Floyd's murder. The history is not new, but the immediacy of what the book is saying, the race issues that have existed for generations, the history that has led us to where we are today... it makes it sound like they literally could have written & published it two days ago in response to Floyd's killing. (It even mentions the phrase "Law and Order", which the president has been fond of tweeting lately.) And that immediacy just further underlines how it's the same old issues over & over & over & what we need to do to break the cycle & to find a new way forward. Quite brilliantly done. show less

I picked up "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You," by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, because some have tried to get it banned; supposedly it makes White people feel guilty that racism exists. (Nothing draws a book to my attention more than attempts to get it banned!) Overall, anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of racism in America should read this book.

While I, a White reader, did not necessarily find 100% agreement with every statement in the book, I did find that the authors provided a good overview of the historical racism that exists in America -- "exists," present tense, not past. They did well at tying various events and actions together to document the racism that broadly has had a huge negative impact on America's show more Black population. But contrary to the calls of the book banners, I did not feel that the book made me feel guilty for what others have done in the past. If anything, it made me more knowledgeable, more aware, and more resolute to stand up to racism at any opportunity.

Beyond the book's overall narrative, readers might find value as well in the authors' other inclusions. There are dozens of suggestions for further reading, and there are many source notes to back up what the authors have said in the book. show less