Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race?: 25 Arguments That Won't Go Away

by Keith Boykin

Some arguments about race refuse to go away. It’s time, once and for all, to shatter them.
 
The most toxic racial arguments share one of five traits. They try to erase Black history, prioritize white victimhood, deny Black oppression, promote myths of Black inferiority, or rebrand racism as something else entirely. They’re all designed to distract society from racial justice, but now we have the tools to debunk them.
 
With a mixture of personal experience, reportage, and extensive research, Keith Boykin takes a wrecking ball to twenty-five of the most widespread deceptions about race, such  
and shows us how to refute lies, myths, and misinformation with history, knowledge, and truth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Audiobook, Race, History, Social Justice, Anti Racist

288 pages, Hardcover

Published January 23, 2024

About the author

Keith Boykin is an American TV and film producer, national political commentator, author, and former White House aide to President Bill Clinton. He has made much of this public in his 2022 memoir, Quitting: Why I Left My Job to Live a Life of Freedom.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently, the top review for this book is a 1 star review claiming that Boykin misrepresented and cherry-picked his data regarding Democrat vs Republican policies and actions... while the writer of that review is either clearly unaware of (to be generous), misunderstanding (to give him the benefit of the doubt), or blatantly misrepresenting the Southern Strategy, during which the parties switched ideologies. This was around the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Which was in the 1960s-70s, for those following along but unclear when Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), who he references as the creator of the "Democratic party", may have lived in relation to it. So, sure, Thomas Jefferson was a "Democrat" - but that meant something VERY DIFFERENT when he was alive than it does now.

It's disingenuous and dishonest to claim otherwise.

Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sout...
https://academic.oup.com/book/35313/c...
https://www.studentsofhistory.com/ide...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democra...

Now, I'm not going to say that Boykin didn't cherry-pick information to include in his book, because that would be wrong. This book contains a bunch of racist arguments that he then counters in response. Of course he is going to include information that supports his point. But it also contains FACTS and VERIFIABLE HISTORY, which people can confirm simply by using the pocket computer you may be reading this review on right now. I just found the 4 sources above in less than 5 minutes. What a time to be alive.

Boykin's main point in this book is that the reason everything STILL has to be about race is that racists still insist on making everything about race. Sure, it's much more subtle than it used to be, like, say when Thomas Jefferson OWNED 14 year old Sally Hemmings, and over the course of decades raped her repeatedly and fathered several children by her. (Side note: Yes, rape. I'm of the opinion that someone with no bodily autonomy - that is to say, she has no freedom or rights or agency and is considered exactly property to be used and disposed of at Jefferson's will - cannot refuse the whims of the powerful man who owns her. Even if she went to his bed, I highly doubt that she would have done so of her own accord, and not out of a sense of self- and family-preservation. Just to be clear where I stand on that. Really gives "Founding Father" a new meaning, eh?)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, racism may look different from how it looked back when Jefferson was fathering away, but it is still insidious and institutional and baked in to every aspect of the culture that he helped to set up. We don't live in a post-racism society, we live in a racist society that is just better at hiding it using euphemisms and disingenuous arguments and claims that the history many people still alive (including my own parents) actually lived through never happened.

So... THAT'S why everything has to be about race. It will continue to be until we are honest about it, and work to change it.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best antiracism books I've read. It presents the most common 25 arguments made for why racism doesn't exist, clustered around five primary concerns: erasing Black history, centering white victimhood, denying Black oppression, promoting myths of Black inferiority, and rebranding racism.

Each chapter begins with a quote for and against the argument. It then goes into a deep dive for each of the 25, using examples from throughout history and the author's personal life, drawing from politics, policies, news, and well-known cases across time. It goes back to precolonial times and comes right back up to modern days up through the Biden administration.

What I really liked about this book is that I get a lot of these arguments from people quite often (e.g., "I don't see color," "all lives matter," "the Civil War is about slavery," "my best friend is Black," "if they would only have complied...," etc. This book arms me with why those common statements are wrong, letting me debunk them swiftly. I'm better at listening than I am at debating, so these are really helpful to have in my back pocket.

This book is revelatory, powerful, instructive, important, and something everyone, both racists and antiracists, should read. (Let me be clear on this point, if you are not a racist, you must be an antiracist. If you are not an antiracist, you are by default a racist by complicity and/or privilege.)

PS, gutted to learn Frank Baum was a eugenecist.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

How often have you been out at a gathering and heard that person whining about "everything being about race"? Or, as a USH teacher, how often did I hear students questioning "why do we have to spend so much time learning about slavery and Reconstruction"? Boykin's book does a fantastic job of explaining through his 25 arguments exactly why our discussions do so often need to include a frank consideration of the role of race.

The chapter that stood out to me the most was one written as satire at its outset: Chapter 8 - Even the poorest white people have white privilege. It starts with a story of Keshawn, a Black teenager from Chicago, who makes a series of choices that lead him to a conservative event in Indiana with a weapon. What follows is a re-telling of the violence and death that he caused which is capped off not with his arrest, but with police asking for his help in finding the wounded. As I was reading this story, I found it almost absurd beyond words; however, when I picked up that Keshawn was Kyle and the conservative event in Indiana was a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, it clicked. That piece of satire was the perfect way to show how society treats people differently based on race, and that is one of the many reasons why this discussion matters.

This book would be a good entry point for people looking to educate themselves on how issues related to race impact many different aspects of daily life. It is also an opportunity for the reader to examine their own privilege, or the fact that they don't realize they have it, and figure out how to make some positive change.

[Jillian B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to refute racist arguments but can’t always find the right words. Boykin expertly debunks racist myths using a combination of history, statistics and lived experience. (And sometimes a health dose of sarcasm, as he does in the chapter about the infuriating myth of the “race card). Boykin patiently tackles all the arguments you’ve seen on your most racist coworker’s Facebook page, explaining why Black History Month is still necessary, why reparations are needed, and why white people who are poor still have white privilege. The author’s background as a Harvard-educated lawyer has a clear influence on the straightforward and persuasive way he lays out his arguments. I would recommend this book to allies looking to strengthen their anti-racist arsenal…and maybe also as a gift for that relative who doesn’t quite understand these issues.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mr. Boykin's book was riddled with over simplifications, historical omissions and inaccuracy.

Mr. Boykins argues that in "1776 Thomas Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence, declaring that 'all men are created equal,' while forty-one of the fifty-six men who signed the document, including Jefferson, enslaved Black people.' That much is accurate, but Mr. Boykins omits that Thomas Jefferson founded today's Democrat Party.

Writes Mr. Boykins, "Black abolitionist Frederick Douglass condemns the 'hypocrisy' of the Fourth of July as a celebration to 'cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.' Frederick Douglass was a Republican.

The eleven southern states that seceded from the union in 1860-61 were all headed by Democrats. Mr. Boykins omits this as well.

"Harriet Tubman leads 150 Black Union soldiers in the Combahee River-Raid, which liberated more than 700 enslaved people." Harriet Tubman was also a Republican.

The Thirteenth Amendment abolishes slavery. The majority of Democrats in Congress voted against it. Both Houses of Congress are controlled by the Republican Party that sponsored the Amendment.

In 1954 "The Supreme Court's decision in 'Brown v. Board of Education orders public schools to be integrated by race and overturns Plessy v. Ferguson." Republican Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the majority opinion. Just another omission from Mr. Boykin.

In 1957 "United States marshals escort Black children to Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas as racial integration of schools begins." The order for said action was from Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. Just one more omission.

The 1964 Civil Rights Bill was successfully passed by minority Republicans who voted to break the Southern Democrat's filibuster. Illinois, Republican Leader, Everette Dirksen, agreed to broker a deal with President Johnson to support said Bill. When LBJ signed said Bill into law at the White House in 1965, in back of him, among others, were Dr. Martin Luther King, Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Senator Dirksen. Upon signing said Bill into law President Johnson offers the first pen to Senator Dirksen. This was left out of Mr. Boykins's Book.

In 1968 Dr. King is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. The mayor of Memphis was a Democrat; the governor of Tennessee was a Democrat and both US Senators were Democrats. Another omission.

In 1989 Mr. Boykin writes: " Five Black and Latino teenagers are wrongly accused of raping a white woman in New York City's Central Park. Donald Trump calls for their execution." I've not read anything that Donald Trump said that, but I do know that in 1989 Donald Trump was a registered Democrat. While Trump was a Democrat he wined and dined with the likes of the Rev. Jessie Jackson, Oprah Winfrey and other Black celebrities.

Mr. Boykin further writes, that in 2020 "A racial justice protest movement sweeps the country following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Democrat Kamala Harris becomes the first Black woman to be elected vice president of the United States." But in 2023 the Black Attorney General of Kentucky, a Republican, Daniel Cameron, is soundly defeated for governor of Kentucky by a white man who used race as a weapon. Incumbent Governor Andy Beshear is the only Democrat elected to State office that year. Both Houses of the Kentucky Legislature are still dominated by Republicans. Another omission.

In 2020 former Vice President Joe Biden tells a Black man that "you aint Black if you vote for Trump." Oh well, just another slip.

[Angyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be read by everyone living in the U.S., especially with the current state of things.

[Lata · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my first time reading essays that dismantle the myths of freedom and opportunity that exist about North America. Bodkin’s legal background no doubt was a benefit to how he organized and discussed the material into these topics:
-Erasing Black History
-Centering White Victimhood
-Denying Black Oppression
-Myths of Black Inferiority
-Rebranding Racism
With explorations of different aspects of each category through several essays. Each sections established points, gradually building a response to the question, and title of this book: “Why does Everything Have to be About Race?”

The historical points demonstrating oppression of African Americans, through a variety of means and for centuries, were illuminating (and often infuriating) as various leaders through US history casually and callously diminished and dismissed the lives of people brought expressly and unwillingly to this land as free labour to enrich the coffers of white institutions and white landowners. Not that only wealthy whites profited from restrictions placed on Blacks, as even poor whites have profited from racism through an innate sense of everyday safety, and the possibility of improving one’s life that African Americans have never had.

The books straightforward and plain spoken approach dismantles the arguments put forth by white supremacists, and shows anyone who thinks we’re living in a post-racial world, and/or expresses any of the many racist sentiments author Keith Boykin carefully deconstructs and refutes in this set of essays, This book is a must read. Sadly, these are also the people who most need to read this are the least likely to pick up this well-organized, eloquently presented and argued answer to those who do not understand, how intrinsic race is bound up in North American society. This quote perhaps best encapsulates it for me:

"…Do a Google search for “the history of racism in” almost any subject you can imagine, and you’ll find examples. You can even search for “the history of racism in Google” and discover how search engines themselves were powered by racist algorithms. In fact, every aspect of American life—toys, dolls, schools, colleges, fraternities, sororities, housing, employment, marriage, family, business, finance, insurance, government, hospitals, fire departments, military units, railroads, air travel, media, music, sports, fashion, religion, policing, prisons, farming, tourism, movie theaters, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, public parks, private streets, highways, gated communities, cities, suburbs, cemeteries, and even the pollution in the environment—was set up to perpetuate white supremacy in a way that was often imperceptible to the white beneficiaries but virtually unavoidable for the Black victims."

Thank you to Netgalley and to PublicAffairs for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Stephanie’s Libby Antics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Black History Month!

This is it, this is the one to recommend to your parents or coworkers or uncle or whoever when they ask you for “a good book about racism”. Not because it is necessarily the BEST or most comprehensive (there are too many good books on this topic to narrow that down!), but because it is the most easily digested.

Your parents (grandparents, conservative echo-chamber escapees) have heard all of these arguments on tv, social media, out and about at brunch or whatever.

I guarantee we have all heard:

“Why does everything have to be about race?”

“Society isn’t racist anymore, we (they) elected a black president!”

“We need to stop considering race as a factor at all, even Martin Luther King Jr said so!”

“The civil war wasn’t about slavery….”

“Why is there no white history month?”

“I didn’t grow up with white privilege, my family was poor”

“No one alive today was responsible for slavery, so there is nothing to be done”

“Hey! All lives matter!”

“Nowadays everyone has an equal chance to be successful if they work hard” 🤮

“Why isn’t there outrage when a black person kills another black person?”

“No more playing the race card!”

“The kids are being taught critical race theory!!!!” (Extra eye rolls for this one. Who TF thinks this?? Some of them aren’t even being taught science XD)

“Here he is with Rosa Parks! See? He can’t be racist….” (Aka: but I have a black friend)

“I don’t have a racist bone in my body!”

“X word against white people is as bad as the N word”
(Note: they usually SAY the first word, be it Karen or Cracker or Whitey or Redneck, but we all still call it the N word because we all do acknowledge that it IS the worse word).


This book answers or responds to all these incorrect/irrational/dumb questions and statements. Using facts! So put the arguments into words that are familiar to people and hand them this book when they ask.
If they ask 👀.

I wish I had a Canadian version of this book for indigenous peoples.

[Gab · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read.
Keith Boykin has curated a list of the most common racist arguments and questions, and provides precise detailed answers to each of them.

I did not know a lot about United States history (other than broad lines and ideas), but that was not an issue at all. Everything is explained within the arguments, and so this book does not require previous detailed or exact knowledge of events or laws. Every historical or current event mentioned is explained.

I particularly like that the author used quotes from recent events (such as tweets from politicians), to showcase how prevalent these racist ideas are and how relevant and important the answers are today. It is repeated multiple times in the book, but racism isn’t an issue of the past; it is still strong and everywhere, and it cannot be ignored.



Thank you NetGalley, PublicAffairs and Bold Type Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.





(For some reason the format didn’t really work in my reader app and it made some of the pages especially the timeline hard to read which affected my reading experience but I’m not considering it in my rating because this is an ARC and the actual ebook will probably be better.)

[Ags · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a helpful structure, in which every chapter is not just a common question about racism/racism-focused analysis, but also a quote/exchange from politics or pop culture. It was interesting to read each chapter title/intro and then pause to think how I might respond to those questions, or in what situations I might ask those questions, and then read Boykin's concise responses.

This book is almost entirely focused on anti-Black racism, which makes a lot of sense, especially for US readers like me (and which inspired me to read a book with something like this title and that also takes up racism targeted at other groups, and/or that more explicitly takes up intersectionality).

I appreciated the mix of history, current stats, and the author's personal experiences in the chapters. I especially appreciated the metaphor of white privilege being like a passport and the illustrative examples of overlapping lifetimes (the last person who was enslaved in the US died in the early 70s!) to show how recent slavery is. The author has done a lot of work with/for the Democratic party, and that allegiance was really clear, especially in a few chapters (which was interesting to read, since I think I'm more used to anti-racism books being more critical of than heavily defensive of Democrats).

The chapters' brevity make them accessible - which also, naturally, means that they could always be longer/include more. Overall, though, I think this book made a good trade-off for breadth. The intro states that the book could be read cover to cover or just as whatever chapter/question a reader is interested in. This also makes a lot of sense for accessibility - and, as a reader, I think I just prefer books that build a bit more (e.g., there are a few small examples of the book being repetative, the chapters/arguments aren't scaffolded). The ending did feel like a good ending, though, summing up again that everything has to do with race because, well, everything has to do with race.

The audiobook was read by the author, which I really enjoyed - great narration!

[Madelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, friends. This is a must read. It was just released last month, and it is such a great tool in understanding how systematic racism has molded and shaped our society. Boykin gives such great information and facts about the history of our country that he continues to tie into how they’ve come to affect current events with discussions on political propaganda and white supremacy.

If you’ve never taken the time to learn more about these issues or if you’re just wanting to expand your knowledge and understanding further as a well-read reader, definitely give this book a read. All 25 arguments are so thought out, in-depth, and incredibly insightful. Especially in the current political climate we are in and the 2024 election coming later this year, it’s important to know what’s going on.

EVERYTHING is about race, whether you are aware of it or not, and Boykin does a magnificent job of explaining just that.

One of the MANY quotes that stuck out to me was: “Many conservatives also engage in cynical double standards in their law and order rhetoric. Attacking young people of color for failing to comply with police but celebrating rich, white guys who openly defy the law and fail to comply. When young black kids for a simple misdemeanor in New York City, they had to be prosecuted, according to former mayor Rudy Giuliani, but when a powerful, white president violated the laws and the Constitution years later, he deserved sympathy and compassion. That’s why a group of black kids protesting police brutality in Chicago is described as criminal, but a thousand white men storming the U.S. Capitol in a violent insurrection becomes legitimate political discourse. It’s inconceivable that police would allow hundreds of angry, black people to survive an attempt to storm the nation seat of government in an angry, violent effort to stop our democracy.“ 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Highly recommend this book.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Answers the questions and then some. Everyone should read this book!

[Jamie Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the tite for this book. When I first saw it, thought it was going to be yet another book that criticizes people for bringing up the racism that still infects society. But instead it is informative and provides knowledge that readers can use when it comes to debates with people who have opposing view. Each section of the book starts out with a quote from a prominent person that criticizes, gaslights or looks down on people who actively try to change the problems that still exist in the country. The author then includes a second quote from another prominent person that is a rebuttal to the first quote.

The information provided is presented in a easy to understand format and the author conveys the points without making it seem like a lecture. He also provides citations so that you can verify he is presenting actual facts and findings rather then presenting opinions as fact. The author also weaves in some of his personal life experiences,when relevant, to bring a personal touch to the subject.

This book would be a nice addition to the collection of anyone who likes to keep their finger on the pulse of the social issues in this country.

[Jill Tatter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Why Does Everything Have To Be About Race, Keith Boykin focuses on 25 of the most used examples of the most used tropes that people use to deny racism.
He starts with Barack Obama and how some Americans believe that a country that had a black president can't possibly be racist. He finishes with the question "why does everything have to be about race" and explains how race affects bipoc. In each chapter he details how to rebut each piece of misinformation with the facts.

[Paul Botterill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really excellent. It was thought provoking, triggering, disappointing (the behaviours discussed not the writing), shocking, disgusting and shameful. Really eye opening. It confirms that I really do not know enough about this subject.

[vanster · Rating 5 out of 5]

it took me way to long to get through this audiobook but 10/10 so informative and so good

[Samantha Oswald-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. Wish I paused the audio book to write down quotes sometimes cause there were so many good ones throughout this. I already knew I had privilege, but I somehow didn’t realise how much until listening to this

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

tea

[D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The people who most need to slowly digest these words will unfortunately not read this book.

I purchased Mr. Boykin's work yesterday. I finished it today.

In the front of this book is a very brief chronology of race in America. The author could have inserted information about our indigenous brothers and sisters. But he is focusing primarily on so-called black people. Do not get it twisted the land called the United States of America was stolen. The home of its original people were killed, humiliated, and raped. This is the foundation, the stage of further exploitation. Of course, the aid of the Catholic Church allowed the blood to flow. He starts with 1526 in the book. But he should have begun in 1452 with the Doctrine of Discovery.

Funny how so many of the arguments covered in the book are presented by those who did not learn from their legacy of evil. Arguments created not always for the sake of comprehension. Arguments that functioned as tools and weapons of white supremacist construction and for the preservation of the status quo.

He appropriately begins with the "erasing of Black history." He progresses to "centering White victimhood." The journey continues with "denying Black oppression." He invites people to contemplate the "myths of Black inferiority." He then shifts to "rebranding racism."

Why does everything have to be about race? If you are on the outside looking in, maybe this book will help you. For those who have and do live this, it can be refreshing to have our realities not masked by the Daughters of the Confederacy types. This brings to mind the censoring Mom's for Liberty crew, racist Conservative pundits, certain white lobby groups, several white billionaires, numerous white think tanks, and 1776 indoctrinated minions that serve the whims of empire.

Unfortunately, marginalized people... especially indigenous and Black people in so-called Western civilized countries deal with unnecessary, unpleasant realities that are inherited. The stain is from the residue once on the boot of domination. The crushing boot was worn by rich European Americans. Though far too often, the dose of misery is daily administered by their poor European American minions and various deplorables in Europe. Loathsome traitors of humanity who have allowed themselves to be bamboozled by or who have thoroughly embraced racial caste terrorism.

This book is so timely offered. Unfortunately, there will be a sizeable amount of: bourgeoisie Black people, other so-called minority gate keepers, black conservative sellouts (looking at you Tim Scott), agents of White Christian Nationalism, Zionist, MAGA revolution fundamentalists and Thomas Sowell / Glenn Loury fans that will show animus during Black History Month, gaslight the educators and attack the revolutionary minded the remainder of this election year. They come fully armed to expand their idealogy and cultural terraforming; via the launch pad, some of these questions provide.

I found the prose to be clean. The word selection could have been more energetic. If I were editing, I would have encouraged several more arguments to be addressed. This said, the audience for this book is anyone who is okay with being uncomfortable and wants greater clarity.

4.5 / 5 rating

[Brittany]

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This should be required reading for every American, especially the non-Black folks. Boykin provides responses to so many exhausting (and ridiculous) statements or questions that people constantly bring up (like, "Why does everything have to be about race?" Because it IS Karen, it is.) when we are discussing race in America. There are 25 chapters split into a few parts, and the part that gave me the most tangible responses to racist comments and questions I have heard were in the part about centering whiteness. I see this in almost every DEI space, online and offline, and I am so grateful to have a starting point to bring this up in dialogue.

I found this to be really empowering and informative; there were tidbits in here that I was already aware of in my own unlearning of the White American history that was taught to me in school, but there was also a LOT of new Black history that this book illuminated for me too. Black history has been systematically erased from American master narratives, and it is our responsibility to bring back and maintain that collective consciousness so that they will not be forgotten, and that their legacy will continue on.

I will absolutely buy a copy to reference again, and I encourage everyone to read this. Ally is a verb and we all need to do our part to be braver in pursuing equity and justice for Black Americans.

See content warnings below, take care while reading, and then pass this book on to a friend after you're done because I think everyone needs to read it!

[Violet Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book which the people who need to read, won't.

[Candy Reimholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to be a better ally!

[Katrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very detailed fact check of often used racist arguments such as „I don‘t see color“, „I don‘t have a racist bone in my body“, „The race card“ and so on.
I learned a lot.

[Heather Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought provoking book. Made me think about some hot topic buttons. Very informative and stated facts that I never knew happened and am glad I read this book to learn more about the race topic. There were times that the book referred to lots of old writings etc and was hard to follow at times which is the only reason I gave it a 3. But the though provoking topic I would have given this book a 5.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Does Everything Have to be About Race? is a confrontational and difficult read, even for a self-professed social liberal. But confrontational doesn’t mean wrong. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then so too should be ugliness. Keith Boykin articulates a five part argument to answer the essential question that stamps the front of the book. Most of them address pervasive myths that have lodged themselves into political or social rhetoric throughout history: myths about black history, white victimhood, the parameters of oppression, and black inferiority. Boykin wraps up his rebuttal by describing the disturbing pattern of rebranding racism, along the way noting that it makes more sense to identify racist actions rather than people. And from page 212-220, word for word, a listing of events in the exact language our own government (all branches are guilty) used historically in denying the rights and freedoms outlined in our founding documents, ensconced for all of perpetuity. The list is a mere grain of sand on an ocean bed of discriminatory evidence. Hearing the direct argument about why race is consistently perseverated on, contained within these 200+ pages is confrontational yes, but more importantly, necessary.

[Katie A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a collection of 25 essays written by well-known political commentator Keith Boykin. Each essay confronts and refutes common arguments used to justify, support, and perpetuate racism in America. Some of my favorite essays include those addressing critical race theory being “taught” in public schools, the in accurate portrayal of black people and welfare, and black on black crime.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of racism in the US, but the author still manages to dedicate appropriate attention to each topic, and is able to include lesser known points. At the same time, the writing is accessible and not overly verbose, which makes it an excellent starting point for those unaccustomed to the level of expertise the author demonstrates.
The author does an excellent job referencing different historical events and actions/quotes by predominant figures that are lesser known and not a topic discussed in American schools today (including post-secondary education).
The author does not gloss over parts that may make readers uncomfortable; unlike some educators in the field, the author justifiably does not try to assuage any potential “white guilt.” Instead, the author calls for a deep examination of how racism has played and currently plays a role in the United States. It is only after everyone can understand and acknowledge this that we can move forward in working to change the future and “‘banish white guilt.’”
I have a degree in political science; I took many history classes in college; I have engaged in education to better understand DEIA in America. Yet I still found myself viscerally reacting in shock and disgust at revelations of things that have been done and said. In some ways, it is unbelievable that such a hatred and harm has been present in America. However, it is that exact thinking that leads to so many people hiding from it. Due to a belief in a great America, a general optimism in humankind, or sheer selfish and willful ignorance and denial, there are far too many white people who choose everyday to continue to perpetuate a system and culture that harms BIPOC people. It is through constant education and work that us as white people can begin to attempt to rectify the situation we are in.
I do not think I have ever annotated a book as much as this one. There are so many points and quotes I wish I could commit to memory in verbatim. Although I wish I could include every single one in this review, I will settle for sharing one for now. In reference to Senator Strom Thurmond (1954-2003) a man who strongly supported preventing the “‘social intermingling of the races,’” the Senate Republican leader Trent Lott said: “‘When Storm Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We’re proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn’t have had all of these problems over all these years.’”
The fact that twenty years ago, the Senate leader for the Republican party would proudly be quoted on such a horrific statement just goes to show how far America has yet to go. The racism in this statement is undeniable (in case you were okay with excusing the systemic, more “hidden” racism that denies Black people home loans, create discriminatory AI algorithms, and ignore the undervaluation of missing Black women’s lives).
The author’s biting humor and frustration exhibits the emotional labor put into explaining arguments that should not have to be explained.
Although I said above I love the accessibility of this book, I also would love to see a deeper dive in rehabilitating and undermining the ideology behind white supremacy and institutional racism. As someone who has comprehensively studied terrorist ideology, this book has made me interested in how America can work to rehabilitate and de-radicalize white supremacists.
Though this is my first time reading work by Keith Boykin, it will not be my last. (Also bonus: AOC follows Keith Boykin on Instagram.)

[Ella Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book in audio format and I'm about to go to the bookstore and buy it in print. I'll update my review once I read it again and am able to highlight and memorize some of the passages in it because holy crap does this author make sense to me. As a white woman, I try my best to be an ally to black people and educate myself on how to be better and do better. But the majority of books I read on the subject don't actually do anything past making me feel awful for being white. I can't control the color of my skin, nor can I control the past injustices that happened in this country. What I can control however is the future (to a certain extent, obviously), and I'm much better equipped to do that if I'm better educated about the issues and the history. If I am able to understand the why behind things and actually put myself in the shoes of the people who experienced these injustices. The author talks at one point about how little white people know about black history and I took a quick inventory of what I knew and came up embarrassingly short. So now I know that that's another area I need to focus on.

Like I said, I'll update this once I get my hands on the physical copy of the book and go through it again, but in the meantime, just wanted to put this on here to let everyone know how I felt about this book and that I absolutely, 1000% recommend it to everyone, regardless of how you feel about things in this country. Read it with an open mind, please, and try to understand and empathize rather than judge and defend (or attack).

[Muneeza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does everyone have to be a democrat?
A few years ago I would have fervently agreed with every argument made in this book, but the last year has radicalized me to the point where I am no longer making or accepting any excuses for the U.S. democratic party.

While I admire the author from overcoming the challenges associated with his underprivileged background thanks to the affirmative action law, I don’t think he owes unwavering loyalty to them for it. Even in his own words there have been several democrats who were slave owners, have made racist statements and passed discriminatory bills, but they were written off or not censured as much as the republicans.

He made sure to stay within the socially acceptable commentary on slavery, reparations, and police brutality. Socially acceptable to the white liberals at large, that is. There was not even one mention of defunding the current policing system, and setting up a new one!

Also, I’m tired of hearing about how Obama was the best thing that happened to America. Yes, it was a milestone victory for people of color, but if you look into his tenure, it was hollow promises packaged with a pretty little bow. And, those of us from the Global South have nothing but contempt for his foreign policies.

Don’t just quote Malcolm X and other leftist black icons, if you’re only using them to further the outdated and exclusive two-party system.

[Kina Focareto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful tool to debunk racially constructed prejudicial myths, unconscious bias and ‘devils advocate’ arguments with factually supported responses. For someone who tends to support my arguments too emotionally, this gives me the resources to get my points across in a succinct and logical way as to not be immediately dismissed by the fact police.