How to be an Antiracist

by Ibram X Kendi

I came across How to be an Antiracist in early 2020 as my first piece of antiracism literature once I realized how shortsighted I had been to rely on historical texts to tell me what was when I needed to be schooled on the depths of what is. Kendi presents arguments for self-analysis of how one benefits from and upholds racism through a mix of personal anecdotes, thorough research, and deep insight. This montage creates an approachable read of a topic so nuanced that sentences and pages are revisited multiple times, each producing a more earnest understanding of Kendi’s message.

(From the book description) “Antiracism is a transformative concept that reorients and reenergizes the conversation about racism—and, even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. At its core, racism is a powerful system that creates false hierarchies of human value; its warped logic extends beyond race, from the way we regard people of different ethnicities or skin colors to the way we treat people of different sexes, gender identities, and body types.”

This book is necessary.

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