Dang, there is a horrible horrible history of white people over black people in our country, which I knew but never to what extent. Even those people that are good are not as altruistic as we would like to think.
Mr. Kendi gives us a detailed history of how America's racism got to where it is today. Starting with the inception of enslaved African from Portugal to 5 prominent people who have shaped our ideas of Black culture, we see how easy it is to be trapped into what we think is happening (from a white person's superiority) is good.
Basically, using Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, William Lloyd Garrison, WEB Dubois, and Angela Davis (one of the founders of BLM), we see how our views as a culture have been influenced by economics (which seems to infiltrate practically everything), statistics (which can always be manipulated), science (which is always changing), and of course, intentions. For instance, I was fascinated to learn that the main question was whether or not to share Christianity among the enslaved people because if they became Christians, then it wouldn't seem proper to own spiritual brothers and sisters. I was also fascinated by all the different theories of "integration" (for lack of a better word) for Black men and women with White men and women. In each era we think we are right in our assumptions, but in all reality, we are only sinking our country into more splintering racism. One of my many takeaways, though, is how many subtle things have crept into my thinking that I never knew.
I wish this book could be the basis for a required class in high school. But it's not, even though it will be in our library. Multiple copies. Also, beware- you may have to read it several times because there is sooo much information.