Black AF History

Title: Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America

Author: Michael Harriot

Genre: non fiction history politics race

BUY the hardback

ADD on The Story Graph

I closed out Black History Month reading Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America by Michael Harriot with the So Love Soul Book Club. This is one of those books you have to read in community, and SoLoveSoul did not disappoint.

My favorite part about Black AF History was the unique experience of feeling like the book was written specifically for me, a Black person, a descendant of enslaved Africans in this country, looking for answers about our history.

I also loved how Harriot uses humor, analogies and storytelling that truly resonated with me. He has a way of presenting the tough realities of America in a way that makes the information easier to digest while still honoring the weight of the truth.

I took so many notes while reading, but some of my favorite topics that I learned more about included:

• The history of Haiti as a powerful example of resistance

• Marrons—Africans who escaped slavery and formed independent, free communities in secluded areas like forests, mountains, or swampy regions (often referred to as “people in the woods”)

• How religion was weaponized to control enslaved Africans

• The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and their role in shaping the narrative of American history

Through this book, I was also able to learn more about the legacies of powerful figures such as Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell, Mary Ellen Pleasant, and Charlie Case, as well as the long-term impacts of policies like redlining.

And honestly, this only scratches the surface of what the book covers.

Black AF History helped me connect historical events, people, and systems in ways that made the past and its connection to the present, much clearer.

Highly, highly, highly recommend.

- Maya & The Spine Down