Black AF History

This was definitely one of my most anticipated releases of this year. Michael Harriot is a force on Twitter and every single tweet thread of his is superbly educational and I’ve probably learnt more American history by following him than reading books. So ofcourse I was gonna checkout his book. And then I got the audiobook copy because how can I resist when he narrates it himself.

However much horrifying the subject matter in this book is, it’s also absolutely hilarious and I guess it would be too hard to read the gruesome history narrated in this book without some levity. While some of the book is about Black historical figures we know, the author gives us more context about their struggles and accomplishments and doesn’t forget to tell us how their complex lives are simplified and whitewashed in the mainstream. On the other hand, we also get to know about many forgotten Black heroes and the many atrocities they suffered and fought against. The author manages to intersperse this narrative with tidbits about Southern as well as African American cuisine, with lots of family anecdotes.

The author is blunt, to the point, no holds barred and funny while narrating this history of America that has been willfully ignored for the benefit of white supremacy. Every chapter is eye opening, and in the author’s words, this book as a whole is the true history of America - a country whose foundations are built on centuries of exploitation and racism. And if you want to know more of these unbridled truths, do checkout this book. Even if you don’t like reading history books, you won’t be able to put this down. And definitely checkout the audiobook for a much richer experience.