Social Justice: Book Review

The SVLC Social Justice Committee members will periodically share with you reviews of books you may be interested in reading on topics such as immigration, refugees, racial injustice, hunger, and food insecurity.  Our May selection--

How to Be An Antiracist 

by Ibram X. Kendi                                         

This non-fiction book was on the best sellers list for many weeks. It is chock full of new information and ideas. Kendi provides a read full of research, references and his emotional journey about becoming.  

Kendi writes about his life as a privileged Black student taught by activist and well-educated parents during the civil rights movement. He shares his own perspective about being Black in all-white private schools where there were no Black teachers and how his racist ideas changed over time.

He weaves his own personal experiences into a well-researched book about the false hierarchies of human values.

There is a wide span of anti-racist ideas including definitions, ethnicity, body, culture, class, dueling consciousness and gender. Best of all, Kendi lists ways to take action against racism and ends his book with hope for our future.

Reviewed by Susan Osborn