Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (National Book Award Winner)

Explore the profound roots of systemic racism in "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America," a compelling narrative that earned the National Book Award for its meticulous analysis of racial injustice. Published on April 12, 2016, by acclaimed historian Ibram X. Kendi, this book delves into the lives and legacies of key American figures, including Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, William Lloyd Garrison, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Angela Davis, to trace the evolution of anti-black racist ideas. Kendi masterfully illustrates that these ideas were strategically crafted not out of ignorance, but to justify and maintain racial disparities. By unearthing the chilling lineage of such thoughts, the book equips readers, especially college students studying social justice, with vital knowledge to challenge the insidious mechanisms of racism and to foster hope for an equitable future.