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I am still (and probably always will be) on the hunt for books that will help me learn about institutional racism in America.
So, when “Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019,” edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, was published — I immediately added it to my TBR list.
I had to wait awhile, but the audio version became available at the library and I listened as soon as I could!
Each story is written by someone different (the book features 90 authors), which really tells the history from various perspectives, which I liked.
In the audio version, each story is also read by someone different — so you’ll never get tired of hearing a single voice!
The book starts one year before the Mayflower, and it goes all the way until 2019, covering police brutality and Black Lives Matter.
In all of the books I’ve read from Kendi, I learn so much, but I walk away wanting to learn more.
Of course, it is a lot to read or listen to 400 years of history, but it helps me learn about things I’ve never heard about, or things maybe I learned in school, but have since forgotten.
I finished the book wanting to know even more about laws that kept slavery in place (and how they are similar to some laws today) and about specific segregation cases.
If you’re looking to educate yourself on the history of systemic racism in America, you should read this book!
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