Every so often, a decade is blessed to witness the intersection between a pivotal moment and a prophetic movement. That’s what’s taking place right now, right before our eyes – or under our noses.
The moment: an all-out assault on Black history, Black thought, Black writings, and Black perspectives.
The movement: the pushback from Black people in the form of banned book clubs organized by adults and youth alike, readers catapulting the writings of any banned Black authors to top sales numbers, lectures and lessons on anti-Blackness campuses and off, and books so Black and proud and powerful they scream “I wish a MF would form their non-existent lips to call for my ban.”
Enter America’s foremost “wypipologist,” the Root’s Michael Harriot, and his national best-selling work, “Black AF History: The Un-whitewashed Story of America.”
Sure, the title alone scares those genetically predisposed to fear all things darker than off-white. But for those folk, those who view the American story sold to K-thru-college students for centuries as divinely ordained gospel truth, Harriot’s “Black AF” is the boogeyman they imagine all Blackfolk to be.
Harriot is a scholar, journalist, and deep-deep-deep dive researcher. But the real power of “Black AF” comes from brotherman’s ability to combine the information he gathered with his genius-level storytelling skills, hence, presenting America’s history minus the faily tale façade in a way that will pierce your soul.
And the crazy thing is, it’ll have you laughing, crying, and laughing some more, all while being absolutely outraged at what has been done to us and inspired by all we have done in spite of.
But enough praise from me. Here’s what Houstonians have to say about “Black AF:”
“I loved the humor infused throughout. I loved the familiarity with the presumed Black audience that included inside jokes. It’s a book that affirms what we already feel in our bones.” (Sharon Watkins Jones )
“It’s crazy cuz I’m not even a crier, but there were moments when I was reading the book… well, listening to the audio version… and I’d be laughing at Harriot’s tongue-in-cheek and right in yo face humor and then he’d hit you with those graphic stories of the violence they hit us with. Really graphic and painful but stuff we need to know. Stuff everybody needs to know.” (Malik Solomon )
“Chapter 8, where he details the Colfax Massacre, ‘The floor was drenched in blood.’ I’ll never forget that line for as long as I live.” (Septembra Wells )
“The book is hilarious ‘edutainment’ in the purest form. It’s comedy writing meets Ibram X. Kendi’s ‘Stamped From the Beginning.’ Harriot has an excellent podcast called “Drapetomania y’all should check out. It’s sort of like the book except voiced by a comedic ensemble.” (William Chambers )
“I distinctly remember laughing to the point of crying over something the author said in the book. Then, just a couple minutes later he breaks down that mass murderer of Black people who was elected to five terms in Congress from one of those Carolinas. South Carolina, I think. Good Lord, the American history they didn’t teach us will make you wanna holla.” (Miles Taylor )
“It’s like listening to a griot who speaks your own language and truth. There’s no acquiescence to wypipo’s truth, only a clear pathway through our own history. Plus the references to our own cultural heritage and our own expressions and points of view feel like he is speaking to us, and only us. Anyone can (and should) read this book, but there’s a lot that will sail over other people’s heads. Our sense of humor is sprinkled all over and through the book, giving many of the stories a flavor that is all our own! (Daktari Imani Karega )
