1619 Project

This book isn't the easiest to read, but it is the most important one I've read in years. It fills in gaps and reframes our country's history to include black americans. I am sorry that at the same time this crucial truth is getting recognition there are people trying to shut down any acknowledgement of the impact of systemic racism in America. How can we succeed if we don't acknowledge the truth around us?

Angelou's quote about knowledge and action that I borrowed for the title of this review was not quoted during this text, (as far as I can recall) however it was on the top of my mind throughout my reading of it. Part of being able to make a just society is to educate the ignorant portions of that society to the the injustices inherent in it. This text does that. My own ignorance of the depth of inequality in the US, established and perpetuated by the self interest of the powerful as expressed through racist policy was vast. This compilation of great work inspires me to dig deeper, and to do more.

Kudos to the authors and the editors for pulling together such a fascinating collection of 18 essays backed with twice that many poems/short prose to illustrate the timeline. history lessons, sociology lessons, lessons in humanity/inhumanity and the cognitive dissonance that is the usa.