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by Freeden Blume Oeur is a compelling endorsement for all-male public schooling for Black boys and young men. The book brilliantly illustrates the surprising success of this holistic method of education, which mixes democratic empowerment, strict discipline — and intentional racial segregation and sex separation — with a warm, loving environment of Black brotherhood. His articulate analysis calls on us to rethink Black masculinity and imagines a humane alternative to how many Black boys are currently educated in America’s overly-policed school-to-incarceration pipeline. (University of Minnesota Press)
by Lamont “U-God” Hawkins takes us deep into the tumultuous life of a lesser-known member of the legendary ‘90s hip-hop institution, Wu Tang Clan. The gritty memoir delves into the rapper’s youth, spent in Staten Island projects, where Hawkins witnessed traumatic violence and overwhelming despair — and developed a hardened exterior for his own protection. He got involved in the drug trade and spent time in prison. In Raw, Hawkins bravely expresses his vulnerabilities — even his hurt at how some members of the Clan (many who’d been friends since childhood) turned their backs on him during his darkest times. (Picador)
by the former president of the ACLU, Nadine Strossen, is a comprehensive examination of the issues surrounding hate speech and the efficacy of censorship, which Strossen posits are frequently counterproductive. Instead, she finds the best answer to hate speech is more free speech to counter its destructive impact on oppressed communities and peoples. Outlawing offensive speech often leads to abuses against legitimate speech and ends up hurting those such laws seek to protect. (Oxford University Press)
by João H. Costa Vargas argues that antiblackness is inherent in the institutional structure of the U.S. (in complicity with the “cisheteropatriarchy”). Vargas warns that multiracial unity, which recognizes the discrimination and violence facing the Black community, but not its structural roots, exposes fear of Black autonomy. He didn’t predict the ascendancy of blatant white supremist forces that followed Trump into office. So, it’s ironic that he calls for a revolution “rendering normative politics meaningless… [a] negation of institutional calibration.” We’re already there. (University of Minnesota Press)
by the founder of MBAs Across America, Casey Gerald, uses creatively fresh and unconventional storytelling methods to recount his incredible journey from a childhood of poverty to giving the opening speech ahead of Barack Obama at SXSW 2016. Gerald used his prowess in sports as a vehicle to Yale University and later Harvard Business School. He breaks down complex issues at the intersection of race, class, religion, sexuality, and masculinity for readers with intelligence, honesty, and humor. Gerald’s thought-provoking TED Talk, “The Gospel of Doubt,” has been viewed over 1.5 million times. Here’s why. (Penguin Random House)
Only 36 percent of Americans believe Native Americans face significant discrimination, making There There, a novel by Tommy Orange, a necessary read. In it, a dozen urban Indians struggle with ramifications of centuries of systemic abuse. A sense of foreboding grows as their lives push them inexorably toward a single moment where they’ll all collide at an Oakland Pow-wow. The climactic moment hinges on the use of 3-D printed guns and a remotely piloted drone — and leaves behind numerous casualties — all making the story painfully relevant right now. The conclusion reveals the undeniable truth of Indian resiliency and the bonds of indigenous kinship. (Alfred A. Knopf)
