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A radical reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and violent—to white supremacy Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” In We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson urges us to move past this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women. The dismissal of “Black violence” as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy, a distraction from the insidious, unrelenting violence of structural racism. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. But violence is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away. Clear-eyed, impassioned, and ultimately hopeful, We Refuse offers a fundamental corrective to the historical record, a love letter to Black resilience, and a path toward liberation.
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This is one of the most interesting nonfiction books that I’ve read in awhile! Kellie Carter Jackson explores all of the forms of black resistance to white supremacy that go beyond the binary of violence versus nonviolence. She wove personal family stories throughout the book along with many historical examples. Her writing is easy to engage with because of that, and it wasn’t a dry read at all for me. This gave me an even bigger appreciation for The Reformatory which I read this year. I can’t recommend both of these books enough.