How To Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice
(Format used for this read: Print)
Before I start this review, I will tell yall straight up that I went into this book 100% biased…
I am a BIG fan of Jemar Tisby.
One of my tremendous friends/mentors, Kristina, introduced me to his writings and podcasts a few years ago, and I have been a fan ever since.
Jemar is always such a strong voice of wisdom, knowledge, and Christ’s love. Every time I have read some of his written words in an op-ed or blog post or listened to him speaking on his podcasts “Pass The Mic” or “Footnotes”, I have walked away with new awareness, heart changing convictions and renewed hope.
Yes…EVERY.SINGLE. TIME.
No lies told here yall, …I am for REALS.
I went into this book already liking it and knowing I would come away with a lot before I even read the first word….so just know that as you continue reading…because I will definitely be wordy as I sing Jemar’s praises… again LOL
I read his first book “The Color Of Compromise: The Truth About The American Church’s Complicity In Racism” twice… it was FILLED with such needed information and Kingdom led guidance. That book was all about learning hard truths about the history of the American church as a whole as well as modern Americanized Christianity as well. (*spoiler alert: white colonizers made a DEHUMANIZING MESS of Scripture and white supremacy theology still reigns today*)
You can read my review on that book here:
“The Color of Compromise” was all about learning REAL history and unlearning FALSE narratives…this book is a great follow up and deals with the question that usually follows when one has a racial awakening:
“Now that I am aware of the truth, what do I DO?”
Let me go ahead and give yall the official summary before I continue on:
“Racism is pervasive in today’s world, and many are complicit in the failure to confront its evils. Jemar Tisby, author of the award-winning The Color of Compromise, believes we need to move beyond mere discussions about racism and begin equipping people with the practical tools to fight against it.
How to Fight Racism is a handbook for pursuing racial justice with hands-on suggestions bolstered by real-world examples of change. Tisby offers an array of actionable items to confront racism in our relationships and in everyday life through a simple framework–the A.R.C. Of Racial Justice–that helps readers consistently interrogate their own actions and maintain a consistent posture of anti-racist action. This book is for anyone who believes it is time to stop compromising with racism and courageously confront it.
Tisby roots the ultimate solution to racism in the Christian faith as we embrace the implications of what Jesus taught his followers. Beginning in the church, he provides an opportunity to be part of the solution and suggests that the application of these principles can offer us hope that will transform our nation and the world. Tisby encourages us to reject passivity and become active participants in the struggle for human dignity across racial and ethnic lines. Readers of the book will come away with a clear model for how to think about race in productive ways and a compelling call to dismantle a social hierarchy long stratified by skin color.”
To my siblings in Christ who want to know how to put your faith into action against racial injustice, this book is a vital and absolutely necessary resource and tool.
While this book IS faith based and driven by Christian teachings, I do not think it is ONLY for Christ followers. If you have a heart to work for racial justice, there is something that EVERYONE can learn within these pages, no matter where your spiritual leanings are.
Parts of this book also focus heavily on people that are in church leadership roles or have positions in church related organizations. If you are a pastor or staff member in a church THIS IS TOTALLY A MUST READ.
Again though, I will say that even if that does not apply to you, there are many action steps and information to learn that will carry over into other jobs, organizations or environments well and is not the sole focus of the book.
I mentioned above this book is a perfect follow up to “The Color of Compromise”. I don’t think it is necessary to read that book first (although you DEFINITELY should!), but I do think readers need a baseline, entry level of knowledge in regards to our country’s history of race, systemic racial injustices and societal inequities before they read this one. I don’t think this book should be the very FIRST book/resource you should use to dive into this work….but this is the PERFECT second book/resource to use. (“The Color of Compromise” WOULD be a great first one … as would books like “White Awake” or “White Fragility”)
Jemar not only provides important factual information and spiritual wisdom in this book, he also dives into what he calls the ARC of Racial Justice as the answer to the question “What do we DO?”
This graphic is an overview of the concept:
I think understanding this is ESPECIALLY important for my white brothers and sisters as we move away from being silent bystanders who further white supremacy and racial injustices and move towards being accomplices alongside our brothers and sisters of color in the fight against it.
So many times we want to skip certain things or think we have “arrived” in some permanent category of “wokeness”. Jemar makes the reader understand that the journey in racial understanding is NOT linear and it NEVER ends.
The way Jemar has formatted the book in such a practical and easy to follow way is helpful for all readers as they grapple with the frustration of not knowing exactly what is next in their journey of fighting racism. This book shows you how to “walk the talk” of fighting racial injustice.
The book is divided into three parts that line up with the three concepts of the ARC of racial justice: Awareness, Relationships and Commitment.
Each chapter has these components: Essential Understandings– which gives you factual information, real life examples, and scriptural truths—and Racial Justice Practices—which are actions you can take individually in your own life and also actions your church/workplace/organization/family can do collectively.
This is not a “read it and be done with it” type of book. This book requires intentional listening, a posture of humility, and hard work. This book requires deconstructing and processing….and the words you read will ignite your spirit into real life ACTION.
Now…yall know I love to share tidbits of quotes from books I read to learn and grow with…and this one is no exception.
When I read “The Color of Compromise” I had SUCH a hard time only selecting a few things to share…and the same can be said for this read as well.
But I’m going to share just one quote or description of a certain section from each chapter below so you can just a taste of what this book contains:
Ch 1: “Courageous Christianity dares to love through action and to risk everything for the sake of justice.”
Ch 2: “If human beings are made in the image of God, then that includes skin color….God doesn’t mistake unity for uniformity. God celebrates diversity.”
Ch 3: *One of the Racial Justice Practices in this chapter is ‘Write Your Own Racial Autobiography” which I think many white people will not think to do on their own accord but is very important and vital to our journey…to reflect on and realize the ways we as individuals and also our families have intentionally and unintentionally contributed to racism. Jemar quotes Joan Didion as saying “..We are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not.”
Ch 4: “Rightly remembering our communal stories is a way of situating ourselves within a broader narrative…without a sense of history, we lose our sense of self”
Ch 5: “Only what is revealed can be healed….Confession isn’t just about you; it is about the people you harmed.”
Ch 6: “How often have you purposely considered the people you know with the goal of intentionally developing cross cultural understanding?”
Ch 7: *I really appreciated the party metaphor Jemar includes in explaining the terms diversity, equity and inclusion. “Diversity is where everyone is invited to the party. Equity means that everyone gets to contribute to the playlist. Inclusion means that everyone has the opportunity to dance.”
Ch 8: “It is one matter to acknowledge that all people are made equal and have inherent dignity in their very being. It is another matter to identify the ways the image of God is defaced in groups of people through systems and policies and to work against those injustices.”
Ch 9: “What is needed is a focus that takes into account the individual’s circumstances while also taking action to combat the underlying systemic injustice.”
Ch 10: “Fighting racism is ultimately about serving people from a wellspring of love. A spirit of loving service has to be infused with a spirit of humility that puts the interests of others before our own.”
“Since race affects white people and people of color so differently, one of the most important racial justice practices is to remain conscious of race even when you have the option of not doing so.”
Conclusion: “Hope is not blind optimism. It is realistic assessment of current conditions with the faith that tomorrow can be different.”
We are living in the second Civil Rights movement RIGHT NOW yall…. and Jemar’s witness, work and wisdom is an integral part of calling people to action for necessary and desperately needed change…especially among Christ followers.
Go order you the book NOW…it officially releases on Jan 5th (I got an early digital copy because I am on the launch team which is how I already have a review to post LOL):
https://jemartisby.com/books/how-to-fight-racism
Also, I encourage you to read this book in a small group or at least with another person…it will help you process together and also you will be able to keep each other accountable with action steps afterwards.