Title: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Author: Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
Pages: 248
Finished: August 15, 2020
First Sentence: Before we begin, let's get something straight.
Summary: Middle Grade author Jason Reynolds takes Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning and rewrites it for the middle school audience. This not-a-history book follows the history of racism against Black people from the 1400s in Europe to when it hopped over the Atlantic to the English Colonies all the way through 2015 ish.
Thoughts: I have not read the original book for adults, so I don't know how this compares.
Regarding subject matter - this book is important to read. The saying "history is written by the victors" really shines when we see the other side to the story. Historical figures we've been brought up admiring as paragons of humanity don't come off in such a great light in this book. As a white person living in America who tries to be antiracist but understands that I have a lot to learn and continue learning, this history was illuminating. It also illustrates that people have flaws. People have flawed thinking. And people's ideas can change.
Reynolds breaks people into three groups: Segregationalists - people who are racist and want to be separate from those who are different from them, Assimilationists - people who say they're okay with people who are different from them as long as those people try to be the same as them, and Antiracists - people who believe that everyone is cool as they are. What I found interesting was how many Black leaders he identified as Assimilationists but who then, as they continued trying to fight for equality moved towards Antiracist thoughts. And how, as dangerous as they were when they were assimilationists, when they started talking antiracism, that's when they were assassinated. Lots of things to consider.
Regarding writing style - This book is written with middle schoolers in mind. It's very conversational in tone. There's a lot of sarcasm. I thought it worked really well for the age range it's meant for. I also really liked how he mentioned that yes, some of these words are uncomfortable and that's okay. Sit in the discomfort. While I found I wanted more information on things, I think this is a good start to an overview. The writing is quick and snappy. There's enough information there as a primer. There's a list of further reading for any interested plus extensive notes. And of course, there's Kendi's original book to read if I want more. I suspect it's written a bit less snappy. Occasionally, Reynolds throws down a label that feels really antagonistic, but I think that's more my privilege talking than the reality.
For people interested in starting out their work on antiracism, this is a good starting point. But it is written to a middle school level. Adults may find it immature in a way. For them, I'd suggest seeking out Kendi's original work. I would definitely recommend this to 7th grade and up as well as parents looking to start or continue racism and antiracism discussions with their teens.
Reynolds breaks people into three groups: Segregationalists - people who are racist and want to be separate from those who are different from them, Assimilationists - people who say they're okay with people who are different from them as long as those people try to be the same as them, and Antiracists - people who believe that everyone is cool as they are. What I found interesting was how many Black leaders he identified as Assimilationists but who then, as they continued trying to fight for equality moved towards Antiracist thoughts. And how, as dangerous as they were when they were assimilationists, when they started talking antiracism, that's when they were assassinated. Lots of things to consider.
Regarding writing style - This book is written with middle schoolers in mind. It's very conversational in tone. There's a lot of sarcasm. I thought it worked really well for the age range it's meant for. I also really liked how he mentioned that yes, some of these words are uncomfortable and that's okay. Sit in the discomfort. While I found I wanted more information on things, I think this is a good start to an overview. The writing is quick and snappy. There's enough information there as a primer. There's a list of further reading for any interested plus extensive notes. And of course, there's Kendi's original book to read if I want more. I suspect it's written a bit less snappy. Occasionally, Reynolds throws down a label that feels really antagonistic, but I think that's more my privilege talking than the reality.
For people interested in starting out their work on antiracism, this is a good starting point. But it is written to a middle school level. Adults may find it immature in a way. For them, I'd suggest seeking out Kendi's original work. I would definitely recommend this to 7th grade and up as well as parents looking to start or continue racism and antiracism discussions with their teens.
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