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Stamped from the Beginning: A Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
Written by Ibram X. Kendi
Narrated by Christopher Dontrell Piper
Editor's Note
Antiracism reads…
Ibram X. Kendi is widely seen as a forefather of the antiracism movement, and this National Book Award–winning book is a big reason why. A deeply researched investigation into the ways that the blatant racism of decades prior became more sophisticated, insidious, and difficult to call out in recent years.
Description
WINNER OF THE 2016 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER IN RACE AND CIVIL RIGHTS
FINALIST FOR THE 2016 NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR NONFICTION
THE MOST AMBITIOUS BOOK OF 2016 —The Washington Post
A BOSTON GLOBE BEST BOOK OF 2016
A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK OF 2016
A CHICAGO REVIEW OF BOOKS BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2016
A ROOT BEST BOOK OF 2016
A BUZZFEED BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2016
A BUSTLE BEST BOOK OF 2016
NOMINATED FOR 2016 NAACP IMAGE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK OF NONFICTION
A KIRKUS BEST HISTORY BOOK OF 2016
A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2016 TO EXPLAIN CURRENT POLITICS
A KIRKUS BEST HEARTRENDING NONFICTION BOOK of 2016
AN ENTROPY BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2016
THE WASHINGTON POST 2016 SUMMER READING LIST
Some Americans cling desperately to the myth that we are living in a post-racial society, that the election of the first Black president spelled the doom of racism. In fact, racist thought is alive and well in America--more sophisticated and more insidious than ever. And as award-winning historian Ibram X. Kendi argues in Stamped from the Beginning, if we have any hope of grappling with this stark reality, we must first understand how racist ideas were developed, disseminated, and enshrined in American society.
In this deeply researched and fast-moving narrative, Kendi chronicles the entire story of anti-Black racist ideas and their staggering power over the course of American history. Stamped from the Beginning uses the life stories of five major American intellectuals to offer a window into the contentious debates between assimilationists and segregationists and between racists and antiracists. From Puritan minister Cotton Mather to Thomas Jefferson, from fiery abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison to brilliant scholar W.E.B. Du Bois to legendary anti-prison activist Angela Davis, Kendi shows how and why some of our leading proslavery and pro-civil rights thinkers have challenged or helped cement racist ideas in America.
Contrary to popular conceptions, racist ideas did not arise from ignorance or hatred. Instead, they were devised and honed by some of the most brilliant minds of each era. These intellectuals used their brilliance to justify and rationalize deeply entrenched discriminatory policies and the nation's racial disparities in everything from wealth to health. And while racist ideas are easily produced and easily consumed, they can also be discredited. In shedding much-needed light on the murky history of racist ideas, Stamped from the Beginning offers us the tools we need to expose them--and in the process, gives us reason to hope.
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER IN RACE AND CIVIL RIGHTS
FINALIST FOR THE 2016 NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR NONFICTION
THE MOST AMBITIOUS BOOK OF 2016 —The Washington Post
A BOSTON GLOBE BEST BOOK OF 2016
A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK OF 2016
A CHICAGO REVIEW OF BOOKS BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2016
A ROOT BEST BOOK OF 2016
A BUZZFEED BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2016
A BUSTLE BEST BOOK OF 2016
NOMINATED FOR 2016 NAACP IMAGE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LITERARY WORK OF NONFICTION
A KIRKUS BEST HISTORY BOOK OF 2016
A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2016 TO EXPLAIN CURRENT POLITICS
A KIRKUS BEST HEARTRENDING NONFICTION BOOK of 2016
AN ENTROPY BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF 2016
THE WASHINGTON POST 2016 SUMMER READING LIST
Some Americans cling desperately to the myth that we are living in a post-racial society, that the election of the first Black president spelled the doom of racism. In fact, racist thought is alive and well in America--more sophisticated and more insidious than ever. And as award-winning historian Ibram X. Kendi argues in Stamped from the Beginning, if we have any hope of grappling with this stark reality, we must first understand how racist ideas were developed, disseminated, and enshrined in American society.
In this deeply researched and fast-moving narrative, Kendi chronicles the entire story of anti-Black racist ideas and their staggering power over the course of American history. Stamped from the Beginning uses the life stories of five major American intellectuals to offer a window into the contentious debates between assimilationists and segregationists and between racists and antiracists. From Puritan minister Cotton Mather to Thomas Jefferson, from fiery abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison to brilliant scholar W.E.B. Du Bois to legendary anti-prison activist Angela Davis, Kendi shows how and why some of our leading proslavery and pro-civil rights thinkers have challenged or helped cement racist ideas in America.
Contrary to popular conceptions, racist ideas did not arise from ignorance or hatred. Instead, they were devised and honed by some of the most brilliant minds of each era. These intellectuals used their brilliance to justify and rationalize deeply entrenched discriminatory policies and the nation's racial disparities in everything from wealth to health. And while racist ideas are easily produced and easily consumed, they can also be discredited. In shedding much-needed light on the murky history of racist ideas, Stamped from the Beginning offers us the tools we need to expose them--and in the process, gives us reason to hope.
Reviews
Great read... a must for every library!!! Can’t wait to read his newest book!
Eye opening. This was a detailed account of the history of racist ideas.
This is an amazingly eye-opening book! This and The New Jim Crow should be required reading for every high school senior in America.
Wow, so much history revealed, lies uncovered, the constructed lies of those in power to establish and maintain the non-factual concept of race and its related sins. An information density that requires much reflection, how I wish this account of history had been presented in my years of education. It was down to my parents to reveal facts, failures, and successes in this country’s scorecard in living up to the claims of the preamble and implied promises.
I am a history teacher and I have been teaching the history a lot of textbooks leave out above race.
This is one of the best most comprehensive books about the history of Africans in the United States!
A must-read for anyone who wants to understand why there is so many race problems in our
country.
This is one of the best most comprehensive books about the history of Africans in the United States!
A must-read for anyone who wants to understand why there is so many race problems in our
country.
This book should be required reading for anyone who grew up in white privilege. It is an anthology that exposes racist mindsets throughout the millennia, from the Ancient Greek slave trade through its Islamic, Portuguese, European and American iterations. It shows the evolution of strategies, motives and tactics of racist governments as well - qualities I didn’t naturally want to see. My assumptions of history were challenged, each chapter helping me unlearn the lessons my white enclave had taught me. It distinguished “anti-racism” from “non-racism”, the former being more willing to call out racism when one sees it, more willing to have difficult conversations. Not to be silently complicit any more. Having been educated in white enclaves, I didn’t learn black history growing up, or later on either, and the gaps in my knowledge became more obvious the more I read. I am grateful for discovering these alternate interpretations of events I thought I knew well. As a survey, it doesn’t tell any one story completely, and sometimes seems reductive or monotonous but I believe that’s because racism has been so well-packaged that it takes a bludgeoning of truth to break free of it. This book is merciless on racism, and I am grateful.
A mandatory read for all Americans who hunger for the truth about our nations history and the understanding of the racism problems our country continues to battle.
Must listen for history enthusiasts! Compelling and thought provoking literary work!
It's. 5 star book. Amazing facts and storyline. Removed 2 stars for the narration. It turned flat and runny almost immediately. I would want to listen to the book again with better narration.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s very much changed the way I see Race and racism in America
Should be required reading since most of this wasn’t covered in your History class.
It was the. The best book on our current issues that I have ever read.
However as always , to much of the authors opinion , spoils the real facts
However as always , to much of the authors opinion , spoils the real facts
A powerful and through analysis of how greed and disregard for human life leads to the purposeful development of racist ideas by ‘intellectuals’, govt leaders, and other elites. These racist ideas are then used to justify exploitive and oppressive policies and institutions. Prior to reading this book I had assumed racist ideas were born of ignorance. This book opened my eyes to the truth of racist institutions and Dr. Kendi provides an analysis of effective and ineffective strategies for tearing them down.
Such an important book. Recommend to everyone.
I learned an enormous amount and it made me think about things differently.
Coming from a non American viewpoint there were a great many topics I knew nothing about, but they are hugely important in the conversation about racism.
The book is quite dense but then it is a history of an entire topic in one volume so that is to be expected.
Unfortunately the narrator mispronounces several words (and ones that come up a lot, such as civil as cilval and escaped as ecscaped) which I found very distracting.
Coming from a non American viewpoint there were a great many topics I knew nothing about, but they are hugely important in the conversation about racism.
The book is quite dense but then it is a history of an entire topic in one volume so that is to be expected.
Unfortunately the narrator mispronounces several words (and ones that come up a lot, such as civil as cilval and escaped as ecscaped) which I found very distracting.
I've learned a lot from this book that has never been taught to me prior. I'm thankful for the opportunity I was given to grow myself, and hopefully some people around me, with the knowledge given to me here. Thank you for this body of work.
My only regret with this book is that I had to read it so fast because a queue of people are waiting to read it at the library and I cannot renew. But that's a good thing because the more widely this is read the better - and I shall revisit the book when I can. I feel Ibram Kendi has given me the beginnings of a feel for the history of the USA and the impact of that on the day-to-day news I read. I shall now re-read the epilogue and return the book.
This book opened my eyes to so many things I thought I knew about. There were many ‘oh my god’ moments throughout and Kendi puts so many thoughts you've probably had before eloquently and in context.
Some of the points I’m glad to now have a deeper knowledge of:
- segregationist vs assimilationist vs anti-racist ideology
- the number of catch-22 situations Black Americans have faced (considered stupid if they pursued university degrees, but thought to be unable to if they didn’t; if slaves fought against their masters it must mean they have to be contained, but if they don’t fight they’re considered to be made to be docile)
- standardised testing (like IQ & SAT) has its roots in racism and the attempt to ‘prove’ racial divides in intelligence
There’s so much more too, and I will be buying a physical copy so I can go through and highlight.
Audiobook:
Great narration, not too fast or slow
Some of the points I’m glad to now have a deeper knowledge of:
- segregationist vs assimilationist vs anti-racist ideology
- the number of catch-22 situations Black Americans have faced (considered stupid if they pursued university degrees, but thought to be unable to if they didn’t; if slaves fought against their masters it must mean they have to be contained, but if they don’t fight they’re considered to be made to be docile)
- standardised testing (like IQ & SAT) has its roots in racism and the attempt to ‘prove’ racial divides in intelligence
There’s so much more too, and I will be buying a physical copy so I can go through and highlight.
Audiobook:
Great narration, not too fast or slow
I really enjoyed reading this book a lot. Will read again.
Jarring yet necessary! This book should be required reading for any US History class.
As advertised, a history of racist ideas in America, prominently featuring Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, William Lloyd Garrison, W.E.B. DuBois, and Angela Davis.The author sets forth an unrelenting parade of white supremacy constantly justifying its premises of black inferiority, finding ways to blame black people for their conditions and station, without a hint of self-reflection. For a person of European heritage it is an extremely difficult read: one is made to recognize just how much of the foundation of America is rooted in white supremacy, and how pervasive it has proven throughout time.The author does well at proving many of his main theses:(1) Racism and white supremacy were functional: they came about to justify first colonial expansion of Western Europeans, and then their enslavement of Africans, then the inferiority of black people, and now finally maintaining blame for difficulties in the black community on black people.(2) Racism and white supremacy proved predominant and all-pervasive in American society. Everyone "knew" that white people were superior to black people, that Africa was a wild and savage continent, and that Western Europeans represented the highest level of civilization and worthy of emulation. Religion was used to justify the premises; it was also always considered good science. One of the longest running arguments in American history was monogenesis vs. polygenesis, thus, whether Africans were even of the same species as Europeans. It is hard not to see this same theme present, in more coded language, since 1969: the association of black people with criminality, the expectation that there must be "something wrong" with black people or in the black community which is leading to its current state, and never questioning the construct.(3) Since racism and white supremacy were functional, "uplift suasion" was always a myth: white people were never reasoned into white supremacy and racism, and therefore, they would not be reasoned out of it by seeing black people display all the fruits of civilization. Such led to the "extraordinary Negro" condition, by which black people who achieved levels of standing and education in white society were considered "different" from the stereotypical "inferior" black people. (4) Anti-black racism was not limited to the South, or to white people; plenty of black people internalized white supremacist and racist principles, and Northerners have proven equally as racist, and often worse in behavior, as Southerners.(5) The equation of American civilization with the culture and civilization of Western Europe, the belief that any other culture/civilization is inferior or less civilized, and the fear that any kind of culture/civilization to develop in the United States which is not based/rooted in western European civilization would be degenerate and barbaric, is the most pronounced form of American white supremacy/racism, and remains to this day.I have a couple of forms of hesitation with the work. There's a bit of a mischaracterization of New Testament evidence regarding the Apostle Paul and slavery: yes, he did expect a slave to remain in that condition, but in that same passage (1 Corinthians 7), Paul said that if a slave could get his freedom, he should. Paul believes in more than the equality of "souls" in Galatians 3:28: Philemon displays the Paul's full embrace of Onesimus' humanity. From all evidence the Apostle Paul believed in the full equality of value of all humans in the sight of God in Christ, but still recognized that people would have different roles/responsibilities/form of social standing, and it could be argued that this emphasis on the equality of man is what led to the reduction of slavery in Christendom in the medieval era, and a main driver of religious sentiment to abolition in the modern era. I look forward to reading Kendi's work on "antiracism" and getting a bit more explanation, because it seems a very easily and a bit too clean-cut distinction being cut not only throughout the work, but even through individuals and individual speeches. The racist/antiracist framework is one through which one can look at history, and even see within people the different directions they might be pulled, and it might well be a very important and valid framework through which to see history...but it is piled on thick in this book, and is of extremely modern coinage. None of these criticisms should detract from the magisterial monument Kendi has established here, and the importance for all Americans, especially those of European heritage, to come to grips with what he has said. The time is long past for the descendants of those who so firmly insisted on their own "superiority," and the "inferiority" of those who did not look like them, to have to stare into the ugliness, sit in it, and for once in American history, have to reflect on what it means about them, their heritage, and all they have inherited.
Overall I enjoyed it, and learned a lot. The author is very quick to judge others actions by slotting them into his three categories. However, he does not seem to see his own bias at times. Still a worthwhile listen.
It was life changing and affirming ! Black strength
A massive and well researched study on the history of racism in America. The author has centered on five historical figures from different eras with many side stories, They are Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, William Lloyd Garrison, W. E. B. DuBois and Angela Davis. I have been teaching college level history for over twenty five years and I learned so much from this book. There are assimilationists and segregationists. There are blatant racists and people who feel they aren't but are in more subtle ways. This is a really important book to understand our country's story.
Stamped From the Beginning The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by Ibram X. Kendi (read 26 Nov 2016) (National Book Award Nonfiction prizein 2016) This is the 37thwinner of the National Book award for nonfiction I have read. The author is passionate about combating racism so he is very condemnatory of people who exhibit racist views--so this is not 'objective' history. And he sees things as racist which a less astute observer might not find to be racist. He is more pessimistic about race than I am and I appreciate the strides against racism which have been made in my lifetime. I well remember the viciously racist speeches which used to be common in Congress (in my younger days I read much in the Congressional Record, and cringed as I read speeches by guys like James Eastland and Theodore Bilbo and their like). I think persuasion and reason can do much to overcome racism--the author thinks such ineffectual. So I admit I did not like the book overly much, though no doubt the author's view is a valid one.
4.5 stars.A tabbed this book up so much. Everyone needs to read this, as it examines how every side of our history here in the United States helped racist ideas to develop into what they are today. This is a must read.
A must listen to learn, reflect, and live differently. Incredible!
This book deserves a full review, which I do not currently have the time to do. Below are my "short" thoughts on this; and in actuality, 2.5 stars, but I think deserving of rounding up, so 3 stars.
Plagued by problems: some theoretical, some of bias (though not racism, in my definition of that word), some of style (it is a very narrative "narrative history"), and some of citation. The last is particularly annoying, in some places, where the citation for a paragraph that contains e.g. 3 quotes totaling 21 words is cited from a secondary source and with page references cover ~25 pages.
There are two main theoretical issues.
(1) is that Dr. Kendi writes as a "strong" cultural relativist (I don't know enough of his other work to judge how "strong" a relativist he is or even if, truly, he is.) This is problematic because he obviously judges cultures that embrace more "antiracism" to be "better." (That sentence is actually circular in his definition since "antiracism" is defined in terms of strong relativism.) The entire book rests on this: how could we prefer an antiracist society otherwise? Was antebellum US Southern culture no worse than any other society? There are ways of interpreting this (e.g. maybe he only applied his relativism withing a certain cultural range?) but nothing in the book gives a hint of this.
(2) is the "assimilationist" grouping (Briefly, Professor Kendi considers "segregationists" and "assimilationists" both to be racist while "antiracists" are the only kind of nonracists.) I think it is worthwhile to consider if there can be such a thing as a "non-anti-racist nonracist"... and it's tricky. As a thought experiment, I guess I could make up an example; but in the real world? Not really. But that also depends a lot on the definitions used... anyway, that sort of gets to the "assimilationist" grouping. In Dr. Kendi's telling, there is a continuous thread from ~1500's Europe through to now of White people trying to "improve" Black people. All of which is undeniable.
However, I'm not sure if wanting to "make Black people into White people" circa 1600 has much to do with criticizing NWA in ~1995 (god, 1995 seems so long ago now...) or John McWhorter wanting kids to stop using "acting white" as an insult, etc. You can argue that NWA was making profound cultural statements and that McWhorter just doesn't know what he's talking about, but that is fundamentally on a different scale... and size matters. I can criticize American culture vs. say Northern European or Asia or Latin American cultures without saying I want to "become" European or Asian or Latin American. Saying that Americans need to learn from the Danes or the Chinese to discard some of their idolization of "individuality" vs. society/the nation or vs. family without being "racist" or even, to use the term even without adopting Prof. Kendi's definition, an assimilationist. Again, as in (1), I don't know Dr. Kendi's views well enough to say "this is what he thinks, booooo!" And I have a hard time believing that is what he thinks... but it is what he says.
Anyway, I could get into other things (the citation thing grinds on me; saying Newton called "white light" "White" because it was the "Chiefest" of lights because it was the best is... that is... that is some "The Moon Landings Were Faked" level shit right there; etc.)
Plagued by problems: some theoretical, some of bias (though not racism, in my definition of that word), some of style (it is a very narrative "narrative history"), and some of citation. The last is particularly annoying, in some places, where the citation for a paragraph that contains e.g. 3 quotes totaling 21 words is cited from a secondary source and with page references cover ~25 pages.
There are two main theoretical issues.
(1) is that Dr. Kendi writes as a "strong" cultural relativist (I don't know enough of his other work to judge how "strong" a relativist he is or even if, truly, he is.) This is problematic because he obviously judges cultures that embrace more "antiracism" to be "better." (That sentence is actually circular in his definition since "antiracism" is defined in terms of strong relativism.) The entire book rests on this: how could we prefer an antiracist society otherwise? Was antebellum US Southern culture no worse than any other society? There are ways of interpreting this (e.g. maybe he only applied his relativism withing a certain cultural range?) but nothing in the book gives a hint of this.
(2) is the "assimilationist" grouping (Briefly, Professor Kendi considers "segregationists" and "assimilationists" both to be racist while "antiracists" are the only kind of nonracists.) I think it is worthwhile to consider if there can be such a thing as a "non-anti-racist nonracist"... and it's tricky. As a thought experiment, I guess I could make up an example; but in the real world? Not really. But that also depends a lot on the definitions used... anyway, that sort of gets to the "assimilationist" grouping. In Dr. Kendi's telling, there is a continuous thread from ~1500's Europe through to now of White people trying to "improve" Black people. All of which is undeniable.
However, I'm not sure if wanting to "make Black people into White people" circa 1600 has much to do with criticizing NWA in ~1995 (god, 1995 seems so long ago now...) or John McWhorter wanting kids to stop using "acting white" as an insult, etc. You can argue that NWA was making profound cultural statements and that McWhorter just doesn't know what he's talking about, but that is fundamentally on a different scale... and size matters. I can criticize American culture vs. say Northern European or Asia or Latin American cultures without saying I want to "become" European or Asian or Latin American. Saying that Americans need to learn from the Danes or the Chinese to discard some of their idolization of "individuality" vs. society/the nation or vs. family without being "racist" or even, to use the term even without adopting Prof. Kendi's definition, an assimilationist. Again, as in (1), I don't know Dr. Kendi's views well enough to say "this is what he thinks, booooo!" And I have a hard time believing that is what he thinks... but it is what he says.
Anyway, I could get into other things (the citation thing grinds on me; saying Newton called "white light" "White" because it was the "Chiefest" of lights because it was the best is... that is... that is some "The Moon Landings Were Faked" level shit right there; etc.)
Tremendously important, essential reading. If I were a teacher of American history or social studies, I'd probably start my students with Anderson's White Rage and follow that up with this remarkable history of the generation and promulgation of racist ideas. Can't recommend this book highly enough.