Hey readers,
Welcome back to a new blog post here at Melanin Talks. I hope you’re having a good, positive day so far, whether you are working today or having the day off. It has been a while since I’ve posted a book review despite the stack of books that I have actually managed to finish in the last couple of months (lol). Truth be told, I am quite forgettable and will think that I have scheduled the post, when in reality I have not done that whatsover. So apologies to those that do enjoy reading my book reviews and find them interesting.
As shown on the blog title, I’ll be reviewing Kehinde Andrews book called Back to Black, which was gifted from Zed Books.
Who is Kehinde Andrews?
Andrews is a British academic that teaches Black Studies in Birmingham City University. As well as being a professor, Kehinde Andrews is both an activist and an author. He published his first book in 2013, this was called Resisting Racism: Race, Inequality and the Black Supplementary School Movement. Despite Andrews being a well known individual, I only came across him after I saw the opportunity to review one of his books. I can definetly say that I am glad I did because his writing is inspiring and educated me more on the Black movement.
The book review
In regards to the book itself now, I’d say that it was well written and the misrepresentations of Black radical traditions was examined appropriately. There is nothing more annoying to me, as the reader, when the author does not accomplish this properly. This is mainly because it loses the text’s purpose somewhere in the middle and the reader is left as uninformed and confused as they were at the start of the book. Andrews educates the readers on the true roots of the traditions and how it has changed over the centuries.
He starts from the very beginning and works his way to the contemporary changes. An example of this is the cultural genocide of Black bodies, not just through the common idea of slavery, but the ongoing history of the Blackface. If you are unaware of what I mean by Blackface, it is the form of a non-black person painting their face in black. This act both dehumanizes and demeans Black people; it has been a longstanding issue since the Civil War and certain bodies still choose to consciously carry it out.
If you find that you would like to know more about the Black culture and traditions, I honestly recommend you pick up a copy of Back to Black: Black Radicalism for the 21st Century. There is always room for more knowledge if you go and look for it. Let me know if you do get a copy and your thoughts.
Yours truly
Melanin Talks x
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