Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Jason Reynolds
A remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning for ages 12 and up. A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism--and antiracism--in America. This is NOT a history book. more
294 pages, Hardcover
First published Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
4.48
Rating
50976
Ratings
7424
Reviews
Jason Reynolds
70 books 9236 followers
Jason Reynolds is an American author of novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audience. After earning a BA in English from The University of Maryland, College Park, Jason Reynolds moved to Brooklyn, New York, where you can often find him walking the four blocks from the train to his apartment talking to himself. Well, not really talking to himself, but just repeating character names and plot lines he thought of on the train, over and over again, because he’s afraid he’ll forget it all before he gets home.Community reviews
There was no science to prove any of this. But who needs science when you have racism. This should be required reading in all American schools. Kids need to know and understand this history (even if the author is quick to tell you it's "not a history book"). It really is absolutely essential. more
if you take one recommendation from me this year, let it be this one. everyone should read this book. this is one of my favorite books of 2020. find the full list: https://emmareadstoomuch. wordpress. more
Big History at its best, it´s showing the important connection between past atrocities and current systems, between old ideologies and their new, subtle, dishonest disguises. Just because something isn´t easy to spot as a malady from the past doesn´t mean that it´s cured, that society is vaccinated, that it´s not a hidden plague still metastasizing, mutating to new forms, evolving to a more politically correct chimera level. Not just the weird ideology mixups of old and new extremist groups, but especially the ones who deem themselves sophisticated, enlightened, and mostly privileged people, who don´t get the whole picture and impede and delay real, substantial change by promoting a dysfunctional, deeply unfair system and having or simulating a blind eye for the cognitive dissonances inside their minds, political parties, and well meaning NGOs. It´s telling that conventional history just keeps talking about the numbers, names, and obvious actions, but strangely and suspiciously avoids linking them to too hot, controversial, and thereby dangerously true, political, social, and especially economic topics and contemporary history. Would look too bad and open too many questions, not really correspond to what is usually talked about in history class, education prefers memorizing names, places, and numbers instead of reflecting, interpreting, and questioning how we came to where we are. more
“If we understand how the tree works, how the trunk and roots are where the power lies, and how gravity is on our side, we can attack it, each of us with small axes, and change the face of the forest. So let’s learn all there is to know about the tree of racism. The root. The fruit. The sap and trunk. more
Ibram X. Kendi's book Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America was released in 2016. Kendi, a Boston University Professor and founder of the BU Center for Antiracist Research, was awarded the National Book Award in nonfiction for the title. It's also close to 600-pages by a man who can certainly run intellectual circles around me. For that fact alone, I find it intimidating. more
“Turned out, freedom in America was like quicksand. It looked solid until a Black person tried to stand on it. Then it became clear that it was a sinkhole. ” Amongst all the anti-racist literature that is out there, this is one of the ones that needs to be heard, listened to and read and understood. It was simultaneously empowering and exhausting to listen to. more
I hope this book is put into the hands of every teen in this country, so that it can at least somewhat counteract the white-colored "history" they learn in schools. This work isn't trying to be objective or neutral or to be a history book. It's a call to all of us to face the centuries of racism in the US, and once and for all become anti-racist. Adapted by Jason Reynolds from Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. more
I’m amazed at the widespread thought that this should be required reading for high school students. Unless the reader is equipped with a background in actual history to identify when revisionist history is presented, I fear they could see it all as fact. In fairness the author does many times say “this isn’t a history book. ” I took that as it’s not the intent of the book to be primarily a history book. Perhaps he really did mean it would be his revisionist history to fit a narrative. more
I will need to reread this one and think some more about the ideas and facts presented. As an educator, I am not happy with the tone used towards all “whites” and am afraid it will create more tension and hatred instead of open up conversations for discussion. I love Jason Reynold’s writing, and he lives up to his reputation here. He is still one of my favorite writers to use to teach author’s craft and verbal discourse around tough topics. I enjoyed all the history presented and love the voice used in teaching it and educating students about some of my favorite writers: L. more
“There will come a time when we will love humanity, when we will gain the courage to fight for an equitable society for our beloved humanity, knowing, intelligently, that when we fight for humanity, we are fighting for ourselves. ” This was absolutely phenomenal. I haven't read the original by Ibram X. Kendi yet, but I certainly plan to after listening to Jason Reynolds' magnificent YA re-working of it. I don't know how much this book will help educate many of the Black individuals in my lives who grew up knowing this information and who work hard for civil rights, but as a white person who was raised in the deep south, so much of the truth that Jason Reynolds revealed here was painfully skimmed over in my upbringing and education. more
“But the thing about being Black is that just being can bring bloodshed. ”Stamped is a fantastic starting point for anyone looking to learn more about the history of racism within America. It’s a remix of the comprehensive book Stamped From the Beginning, meaning that the book has been condensed and made more accessible for a younger audience. I fully intend to go back and read Stamped From the Beginning, but this one gave me the foundation I really needed. To put it bluntly - this book blew my mind. more
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You is not a history book but one about race and how racist ideas evolved and persisted. It’s a condensed version of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning. In Stamped the remix Jason Reynolds does a great job providing important information in an accessible format. more
What a brilliant man Ibram X. Kendi is. His comprehensive historical, sociological, political, biographical "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America," which won the National Book Award, is a professorial tome. Kendi is a distinguished academic. You don't have to buy into all of his ideas to admire this or any of his work, but it pays to wrestle with them. more
Such an amazing book written in a way that is engaging and accessible for teens. I'm excited to put this in my classroom and encourage my students to pick this up. . more
The other day I was driving with my son and he asked me, as he often does, what I thought of this book that I was actively listening to until he set foot in the car. I gave him the high level details of what the book discussed and my opinion that he and his sister would both benefit from reading this so called "not a history book" and maybe taking some time to dig in, research, discuss, etc the very important topic. Our conversation then shifted to his view that many people seem threatened by Black history. He then said: "Black history is American history. Just because it hasn't been taught, doesn't mean it didn't happen. more
This book is a perfect example of the fallacy and problem of presentism in our current telling of history. I have no problem acknowledging racism, past and present, but this retelling of history through our 21st century eyes left me rolling my own eyes. He practically throws away the efforts of Jefferson, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Lincoln, and Harper Lee because they do not push the bounds fully or correctly, in his eyes. It is because of these kinds of thwarted and uninformed views of historical figures that many people are currently defacing and pulling down monuments. more
In all, fine. It's useful, largely as the one thing it claims not to be, lol. But in the effort to be accessible to a younger audience it may have unnecessarily foregone some of the intellectual rigor it would have been better to retain. I think the ideas on which this book is based, Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped From the Beginning, are important and I'm glad Reynolds' adaptation exposed me to them. more
An interesting and enlightening read, though it didn’t quite work out the way I had expected (I thought it was more generic in nature. I totally forgot that the blurb mentions its focus on the USA. )Jason Reynolds declares that this is not a history book. But a great chunk of it is dedicated to US history and how racism and anti-racism became mainstream topics in the country. The range of topics covered is vast: skin colour and religion based discrimination, how racist ideas began, historical racists, contemporary racism, biblical scriptures being used for racist thinking, white privilege, gender discrimination, interracial relationships, segregation, black power… It goes from one hard-hitting idea to another. more
This is a YA edition of a much longer book that I meant to buy, but I made a mistake. I'm glad I did because this is extraordinary. I'm 69 years old and I can only imagine how the world might be different if this had been in the school curriculum when I was in junior high. At only one-quarter of the way through, I'm going to review this now in order to say to all my friends with teenage kids, buy this book. And read it yourselves. more
Jason Reynold’s magic is on every page, transforming Ibram Kendi’s work into an accessible volume for youth. For all libraries Grade 7+. . more
A thousand⭐️s. Wow. It's a must for every adult. It needs to be taught in history classes in every U. S. more
I have listened to this in audio about three times, and each time, I glean a little bit more on this must read. It was a quick listen, and I ordered the paperback of this as well as Stamped from the Beginning to continue my education about history and the root of systemic racism that permeates every aspect of our lives. The narration by Jason Reynolds was phenomenal and truly exceptional. His delivery made this powerful book more impactful and yet easy to listen to and understand, perfect for our young readers. I had a great time listening to this with my family. more
Fantastic YA version of Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. I was fortunate enough to do a signing with Jason Reynolds in Winston-Salem a couple of years ago, and honestly, I was in awe. Afterward I went and spoke at a book club luncheon and Jason went to speak at 3-4 schools. He's a busy guy doing important work, with an uncanny ability to telegraph serious, complex information about race to teens in a way that's as entertaining as it is enlightening. more
I love Jason Reynolds. His words have such power. When I first heard of this book, I had never heard of the one it was based off of. I read the remix first, and when my hold on the audiobook of Kendi’s novel becomes available I intend to listen to that one. I think what’s great about this book is it reads like Reynolds is having a conversation with you. more
A history book that's not a history book perfectly describes this digestible read. Reynolds has crafted a bitesize portion to whet the appetites for further discoveries. Hopefully in the near future, I can pick up Ibram X Kendi's full version and as much reading material on Angela Davis as I can - I need to know so much more about her. I listened to the audio version which was really well done including interesting asides & pauses in the storytelling to check in and keep the listener and narrator on the same page - I cannot say if this is also done in the print version as I did not have access to it. Created with a YA audience in mind it is a great introduction for any age category. more
Still reeling after finishing this advanced review copy written by Jason Reynolds and based on the work of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. I finished it and immediately wanted to start it again as I knew each read will offer up new knowledge. To see the history of racism wrapped up like this is sheer brilliance, necessary and audacious. more
So there was no racists until some guy wrote a book justifying using blacks as slaves. The United States broke away from Britain because it wanted slavery. The movie Rocky is racist and all about putting the black man in his place. This is definitely a different take on history and racism. If you read into everything and look for racism, you will find it. more
**Excellent. Should be required reading in all high schools. I’d read anything Jason Reynolds has his hand in writing. 2nd read: listened to it this time, and if it’s possible, it was even better than the first. Read it and share with everyone. more
I found STAMPED: RACISM ANTIRASM, AND YOU by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi on audio on the Libby app. Check if your local library is on the app and read great books for free. 📚I listened to this book, narrated by Jason Reynolds himself, in conjunction with my hardback copy. Reynolds delivery was passionate, but calm, making it easier for this reader to consume and process this heavy material. more