All the White Friends I Couldn't Keep
Hope--and Hard Pills to Swallow--About Fighting for Black Lives
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
A leading voice for social justice reveals how he stopped arguing with white people who deny the ongoing legacy of racism—and offers a proven path forward for Black people and people of color based on the history of nonviolent struggle.
“A moving personal journey that lends practical insight for expanding and strengthening the global antiracist movement.”—Patrisse Khan-Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, bestselling author of When They Call You a Terrorist
When the rallying cry “Black Lives Matter” was heard across the world in 2013, Andre Henry was one of the millions for whom the movement caused a political awakening and a rupture in some of his closest relationships with white people. As he began using his artistic gifts to share his experiences and perspective, Henry was aggrieved to discover that many white Americans—people he called friends and family—were more interested in debating whether racism existed or whether Henry was being polite enough in the way he used his voice.
In this personal and thought-provoking book, Henry explores how the historical divides between Black people and non-Black people are expressed through our most mundane interactions, and why this struggle won’t be resolved through civil discourse, diversity hires, interracial relationships, or education. What we need is a revolution, one that moves beyond symbolic progress to disrupt systems of racial violence and inequality in tangible, creative ways.
Sharing stories from his own path to activism—from studying at seminary to becoming a student of nonviolent social change, from working as a praise leader to singing about social justice—and connecting those experiences to lessons from successful nonviolent struggles in America and around the world, Andre Henry calls on Black people and people of color to divest from whiteness and its false promises, trust what their lived experiences tell them, and practice hope as a discipline as they work for lasting change.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this rousing debut, singer-songwriter Henry mines his painful experiences talking with white people about anti-Black racism to chart a path forward for racial justice activists. Rebuking white people who are too firmly rooted in anti-Blackness to make "good neighbors to Black people or valuable partners in the pursuit of racial justice," Henry tells the story of his political and spiritual transformation in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the heated discussions he had with white friends and fellow churchgoers about it. For example, the author recounts falling out with a white family that Henry had considered like kin after they refused to acknowledge anti-Black racism following the Ferguson uprising. Then there's "white Jesus," one of the friends Henry decided he couldn't keep after his former theology schoolmate claimed "racism is not a priority to God," leading Henry to rediscover his faith in Assata Shakur's inclusive vision of activist religion. Full of fiery encouragement and prophetic hope, Henry argues that Black people have a right to be angry about anti-Blackness even if it means making white people uncomfortable. A timely declaration from an exciting voice, this is sure to inspire those in pursuit of radical change.
