This book is a collection of essays, poems, playlists, interviews, comics, and art pieces all answering the question “how do you fight White supremacy?”. A unique and inclusive work, How We Fight White Supremacy, does a fantastic job of showing the diversity and vastness of Black resistance.
What I loved most about this book is how dynamic it is. Akiba Solomon and Kenrya Rankin have done a fantastic job of finding unique and differing voices within the Black community. The commitment to showing the vastness of Black experience pays off in a book that is not about any one thing, and yet still remains connected to the central idea of fighting White supremacy. From comedian to survivalist to author to Black Lives Matter co-founders, this book proves the point that Black people are not and have never been a monolith.
Solomon and Rankin have not only complied the words and images of Black activists and artists, but they too have lent their voices to this book in the form of ten essays each. These essays anchor this book. They tie together the ten chapters with reflection and give the reader a sense of who created this book, and why. They are personal and sometimes contradictory and serve as an invitation for the reader to reflect on their place in the struggle. These essays are in many ways a call to action.
There are some pieces I connected with more than others, which is of course to be expected in any book filled with the work of many contributors, but there was never a point where I felt that the book carried on too long or ran out of steam. I was excited to read what came next and learn how other people were doing the work of dismantling the racist and sexist White male patriarchy.
This is a powerful book with a sense of humor and a sense of style. Check it out for yourself. It is worth it just to see the many amazing Black thought leaders included in this book respond to the prompt, “how do you fight White supremacy?”.
If you have read this book, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and if you’re looking for more about How We Fight White Supremacy check out both of the authors on The Short Stacks.
The Short Stacks 15: Akiba Solomon & Kenrya Rankin//How We Fight White Supremacy
- Paperback: 304
- Publisher: Bold Type Books (March 26, 2019)
- 4/5 stars
- Buy How We Fight White Supremacy Amazon or IndieBound
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