First published 2020
Jason Reynolds transforms Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award winner into an urgent guide for today's teens. This adaptation traces how racist concepts took root in America and shows why they persist today. Reynolds argues that race became a tool for power and division throughout American history. He demonstrates how racist thinking spread easily but can be challenged just as effectively. The book connects past events to current realities, explaining why racial tensions feel so immediate. Reynolds offers readers practical ways to recognize and reject racist ideas in their own lives. This is not academic history but a call to action. The book proves that understanding racism's origins helps build an antiracist future. Reynolds writes with energy and clarity, making complex ideas accessible to young audiences who will shape tomorrow's world.
Genres: race, african-american, non-fiction, 21st-century, social-justice, american-history
Vibes: clear, thought-provoking, urgent
Tropes: call-to-action, historical-perspective
294 pages · Hardcover · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers