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We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance
A radical reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and violent—to white supremacy
Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” In We Refuse , historian Kellie Carter Jackson urges us to move past this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.
The dismissal of “Black violence” as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy, a distraction from the insidious, unrelenting violence of structural racism. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. But violence is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.
Clear-eyed, impassioned, and ultimately hopeful, We Refuse offers a fundamental corrective to the historical record, a love letter to Black resilience, and a path toward liberation.
Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” In We Refuse , historian Kellie Carter Jackson urges us to move past this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.
The dismissal of “Black violence” as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy, a distraction from the insidious, unrelenting violence of structural racism. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. But violence is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.
Clear-eyed, impassioned, and ultimately hopeful, We Refuse offers a fundamental corrective to the historical record, a love letter to Black resilience, and a path toward liberation.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 9, 2024
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Kellie Carter Jackson, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley.
The narrator of this audiobook is Kellie Carter Jackson. I am not usually a fan of authors reading their own nonfiction history books, but this was really well done. The audio quality was crisp and clear. I enjoyed being able to hear the emotion in the authors own voice. Most especially because her statements are so powetful.
"This is a book about the ways Black people in America have responded to white supremacy—including through force. The intrinsic belief in Black humanity is essential to understanding Black resistance to racial terror."
This is an important and powerful historical record. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I started this with extremely high hopes. I'm elated to share that I was not disappointed in the slightest. I was familiar with the basics of this history as both a historian and Black Feminist. Still, I learned so very much. Even the information I was familiar with was presented in a new light and connected to other applicable historical characters and incidents.
I purchased the Kindle copy of this when it was released and so was excited when I saw the audiobook available to review on NetGalley. My quotes in this review and in my updates as I was listening to the audiobook are taken from the digital book, which was published this past June.
This book is right on time as this has important history to remember and keep in mind as our nation heads into a presidential election like no other with extremely high stakes.
"Or we can let whiteness drown in the violence of its own making."
Thank you to Kellie Carter Jackson, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
The narrator of this audiobook is Kellie Carter Jackson. I am not usually a fan of authors reading their own nonfiction history books, but this was really well done. The audio quality was crisp and clear. I enjoyed being able to hear the emotion in the authors own voice. Most especially because her statements are so powetful.
"This is a book about the ways Black people in America have responded to white supremacy—including through force. The intrinsic belief in Black humanity is essential to understanding Black resistance to racial terror."
This is an important and powerful historical record. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I started this with extremely high hopes. I'm elated to share that I was not disappointed in the slightest. I was familiar with the basics of this history as both a historian and Black Feminist. Still, I learned so very much. Even the information I was familiar with was presented in a new light and connected to other applicable historical characters and incidents.
I purchased the Kindle copy of this when it was released and so was excited when I saw the audiobook available to review on NetGalley. My quotes in this review and in my updates as I was listening to the audiobook are taken from the digital book, which was published this past June.
This book is right on time as this has important history to remember and keep in mind as our nation heads into a presidential election like no other with extremely high stakes.
"Or we can let whiteness drown in the violence of its own making."
Thank you to Kellie Carter Jackson, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
February 18, 2024
"We Refuse" by Kellie Carter Jackson is a powerful, necessary addition to the existing literature on Black resistance. Carter Jackson, drawing from her expertise as a historian and her personal experiences, challenges the simplistic narrative often imposed upon Black struggles against white supremacy. Rejecting the dichotomy between nonviolence and violent resistance, she explores the myriad tactics used by Black folks and Black communities throughout history.
From the beginning of the book, Carter Jackson positions herself within a tradition of scholars like W.E.B. DuBois, asserting the unyielding belief in Black humanity and the rejection of deference to oppressive systems. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, she dismantles the myth of scarcity perpetuated by racism, instead advocating for collective refusal of the status quo.
The book is a well-paced blend of personal stories intertwined with historical accounts and offers a deeply intimate perspective on the resilience and courage of Black folks. Carter Jackson's homage to her own ancestors, particularly her great-great-great-grandmother denied medical care as a child, serves as a reminder of the stakes involved in resisting systemic oppression. There are so many additional stories highlighting the resistance efforts of young black girls who've been mostly erased from historical records that make this book one of a kind!
One of the book's many strengths lies in its exploration of lesser-known forms of resistance, such as truancy as a means of withholding labor and reclaiming autonomy. Carter Jackson handles these topics with sensitivity and respect, highlighting the ingenuity and creativity of enslaved individuals in navigating their circumstances. Loved the subheading on flight as another resistance mechanism and read it over 3x!
Carter Jackson dives into the complexities of protection violence, exploring its necessity within the context of survival and self-defense. Through in-depth analyses of historical events like the Boston Tea Party and the Christiana Resistance, she contextualizes these acts of resistance within larger narratives of Black liberation.
"We Refuse" serves as both a corrective to historical inaccuracies and a celebration of Black strength and power. Carter Jackson's prose is impassioned and compelling, refusing to let Black stories be forgotten or reduced to the margins. This book is a testament to the power of refusal as a cultural and political force, offering readers a path towards healing and liberation.
"We Refuse" is an essential read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Black resistance and the ongoing struggle for justice. Kellie Carter Jackson's scholarship is not only informative but outstanding among most books I've read on the subject. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read!
From the beginning of the book, Carter Jackson positions herself within a tradition of scholars like W.E.B. DuBois, asserting the unyielding belief in Black humanity and the rejection of deference to oppressive systems. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, she dismantles the myth of scarcity perpetuated by racism, instead advocating for collective refusal of the status quo.
The book is a well-paced blend of personal stories intertwined with historical accounts and offers a deeply intimate perspective on the resilience and courage of Black folks. Carter Jackson's homage to her own ancestors, particularly her great-great-great-grandmother denied medical care as a child, serves as a reminder of the stakes involved in resisting systemic oppression. There are so many additional stories highlighting the resistance efforts of young black girls who've been mostly erased from historical records that make this book one of a kind!
One of the book's many strengths lies in its exploration of lesser-known forms of resistance, such as truancy as a means of withholding labor and reclaiming autonomy. Carter Jackson handles these topics with sensitivity and respect, highlighting the ingenuity and creativity of enslaved individuals in navigating their circumstances. Loved the subheading on flight as another resistance mechanism and read it over 3x!
Carter Jackson dives into the complexities of protection violence, exploring its necessity within the context of survival and self-defense. Through in-depth analyses of historical events like the Boston Tea Party and the Christiana Resistance, she contextualizes these acts of resistance within larger narratives of Black liberation.
"We Refuse" serves as both a corrective to historical inaccuracies and a celebration of Black strength and power. Carter Jackson's prose is impassioned and compelling, refusing to let Black stories be forgotten or reduced to the margins. This book is a testament to the power of refusal as a cultural and political force, offering readers a path towards healing and liberation.
"We Refuse" is an essential read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Black resistance and the ongoing struggle for justice. Kellie Carter Jackson's scholarship is not only informative but outstanding among most books I've read on the subject. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read!
March 16, 2024
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
Using examples both from (mostly) US history at large and her family's own history, Kellie Carter Jackson expertly and unapologetically puts on clear display the wide range of strategies and tools that black women and men have used to resist white supremacy and oppressive systems over the centuries, and continue to do so. "We Refuse" is one of those history books that's an eye-opening mini-education readably packed into a few hundred pages - which in turns speaks to both the failures of my education (and others) growing up in the United States, and the very clear need for works like Jackson's. As a librarian, I definitely consider this a must-have for both public and academic shelves.
Using examples both from (mostly) US history at large and her family's own history, Kellie Carter Jackson expertly and unapologetically puts on clear display the wide range of strategies and tools that black women and men have used to resist white supremacy and oppressive systems over the centuries, and continue to do so. "We Refuse" is one of those history books that's an eye-opening mini-education readably packed into a few hundred pages - which in turns speaks to both the failures of my education (and others) growing up in the United States, and the very clear need for works like Jackson's. As a librarian, I definitely consider this a must-have for both public and academic shelves.
February 14, 2024
Kellie Carter Jackson's essential "We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance" re-centers the conversation about Black resistance away from white supremacy and into the hands of the Black individuals and groups who have, since the Middle Passage, been at the front lines of their own resistance and liberation by any means. Jackson posits five aspects of resistance: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy. Not all of these include the use of violence and none of them only rely on non-violence as the ultimate means for liberation, but whether it is the flight from oppressive labor (slavery or sharecropping through to this century's underpaid labor force) or armed protection from white community members during Jim Crowe through redlining to today's over-intrusive 911-happy neighborhood watch members, frequently the threat of violence is enough to break down the enraged white "do-gooder".
Jackson gives examples that are mostly new to this reader, and frequently centering women, finding people, places, and aspects of more well known events that illustrate her thesis without relying on the tropes of the well-worn historical people who have become two dimensional with overuse and the weight of holding prime examples. By doing so, Jackson renews her arguments with fresh examples that show that it wasn't just one person who was trying to resist, but it was thousands of individuals, families, and communities throughout the States and Islands.
Jackson gives examples that are mostly new to this reader, and frequently centering women, finding people, places, and aspects of more well known events that illustrate her thesis without relying on the tropes of the well-worn historical people who have become two dimensional with overuse and the weight of holding prime examples. By doing so, Jackson renews her arguments with fresh examples that show that it wasn't just one person who was trying to resist, but it was thousands of individuals, families, and communities throughout the States and Islands.
May 29, 2024
COMING SOON
Thank you #partner @sealpress for my #gifted copy
We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance
By Kellie Carter Jackson
Available June 4th
We Refuse is a comprehensive examination of Black resistance to white supremacy, challenging the widely held myth of its polarity as non-violent (good) versus violent (bad). Carter Jackson emphasizes the ways in which Black resistance has always existed on a spectrum, highlighting the critical roles played by women, and the every day acts of defiance that are often overlooked. She also argues that violent forms of resistance and defense to white supremacy, racism, and violence were often necessary, and should be recognized as such. The failure to legitimize ALL forms of Black resistance is inherently racist, and further perpetuates white supremacy.
"Black response to white terror is about enforcing an interruption. Force stuns the oppressor into a pause... We can and should champion their courage to fight back, slap down, and tear up white supremacy." (p. 31)
We Refuse blends historical and contemporary analysis with storytelling (the author's and others'), into five sections: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy. This book is educational, powerful, unapologetic, and a necessary reframing of Black history. My fellow white folks may be uncomfy reading it — but I urge you to read it anyway. Fantastic book!
Thank you #partner @sealpress for my #gifted copy
We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance
By Kellie Carter Jackson
Available June 4th
We Refuse is a comprehensive examination of Black resistance to white supremacy, challenging the widely held myth of its polarity as non-violent (good) versus violent (bad). Carter Jackson emphasizes the ways in which Black resistance has always existed on a spectrum, highlighting the critical roles played by women, and the every day acts of defiance that are often overlooked. She also argues that violent forms of resistance and defense to white supremacy, racism, and violence were often necessary, and should be recognized as such. The failure to legitimize ALL forms of Black resistance is inherently racist, and further perpetuates white supremacy.
"Black response to white terror is about enforcing an interruption. Force stuns the oppressor into a pause... We can and should champion their courage to fight back, slap down, and tear up white supremacy." (p. 31)
We Refuse blends historical and contemporary analysis with storytelling (the author's and others'), into five sections: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy. This book is educational, powerful, unapologetic, and a necessary reframing of Black history. My fellow white folks may be uncomfy reading it — but I urge you to read it anyway. Fantastic book!
June 18, 2024
Excellent! This type of book should be read to spark critical thinking and discussion surrounding American/World History – specifically the impact of the oppression and enslavement of African people and their methods of resistance and rejection. The author pulls from documented cases, historical facts, and firsthand experiences to illustrate various forms of defiance and rebellion.
The violence and hatred of White Supremacy and anti-Blackness are explored – she initially examines how the concept of Black inhumanity fuels racist policies and acts and then goes on to expand on the shortcomings of nonviolent protests (i.e. marches, demonstrations, speeches, and sit-ins) to counteract it. She admits that achieving liberation and Black humanity will not be easy and brilliantly outlines five categories for readers to explore: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy.
This novel is easy to read with timely, engaging topics, and would be a great group read in social and academic settings.
Thanks to the publisher, Basic Books | Seal Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
The violence and hatred of White Supremacy and anti-Blackness are explored – she initially examines how the concept of Black inhumanity fuels racist policies and acts and then goes on to expand on the shortcomings of nonviolent protests (i.e. marches, demonstrations, speeches, and sit-ins) to counteract it. She admits that achieving liberation and Black humanity will not be easy and brilliantly outlines five categories for readers to explore: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy.
This novel is easy to read with timely, engaging topics, and would be a great group read in social and academic settings.
Thanks to the publisher, Basic Books | Seal Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
June 3, 2024
We Refuse is an interesting look at armed Black resistance through the components of resistance (revolution, protection, force, flight, and joy). Kellie Carter Jackson does a fantastic job of critiquing white people's view of nonviolence vs armed resistance while asking us to look deeper. While it does lose focus on a few points, I still highly recommend picking this up!
July 5, 2024
an effusive thanks goes to tantor audio and netgalley for the advanced audiobook copy of this book and my greater thanks goes to kellie carter jackson for putting this book into the world. (so glad you found your thumb drive!)
this book is currently out in hardcover and digital formats, but the audio drops July 09, 2024 and is, in my opinion, one of the most essential and relevant reads released in quite a while.
--
last year, i read March: Book One, a graphic novel series memorializing the life of the late senator john lewis, specifically unpacking his belief system centered in nonviolence. it's no secret that, particularly after trump, racism has exponentially shown itself publicly and loudly again. (a note here: i am in no way suggesting racism wasn't ultra prevalent prior to trump's inauguration, just that the installment of a violent racist into the american presidency seemed to embolden and inflame the racists still living in our country to be louder and more violent than the recent years prior, but i acknowledge as a white person i've had the inordinate privilege of not being privy to the same hatred and violent acts as black, indigenous, and other people of color.)
one of the stupidest talking points i've heard was the dissection on "appropriate protest", particularly when the protests in question happen in the wake of yet another white officer killing another unarmed black person - perhaps even trying to incriminate the black person by planting evidence, lying about their actions (which are later disproved by body cams or witnesses), and suggesting they deserve death, usually for the crime of just living while being black. so i picked up we refuse because i was interested in reading the counterpoint to the nonviolence argument.
this was actually immaculate. jackson uses historical examples to make her point - the haitian revolution, the christiana riot, john brown's raid - but what made this special was interspersing these historical events with the history of her own family. jackson's great-grandmother arnesta was nine and stepped on a nail. a white doctor refused to treat her unless her mother would agree that in exchange for his services, arnesta would live her life in slavery, doomed to a life of certain abuse, rape, and violence on top of subjugation. arnesta's mother's breathtaking choice to deny the doctor the right to arnesta's personhood was horror inducing, not because a mother was refusing care for her child but because a person saw a child facing probable death and instead of rendering immediate care thought first about acquiring ownership over another human. this is white violence.
jackson expertly weaves the necessity of violence from therein, but does several incredible things that need to be called out:
1.) she centers the actions of black women, in particular, often forgotten or diminished by history. i cherished the story of solitude, a pregnant woman fighting back against france for a better life for her baby. i think about the unthinkable act of violence perpetrated against her when she was captured - she would be allowed to give birth, her child would become a slave. i think about margaret garner, the woman that fleed enslavement and when followed and cornered to be brought back to her plantation, began to kill her children because death was better than them living their lives enslaved. i can't imagine being faced with a choice like this.
2.) there's not just a heavy focus on violence as an antidote to oppression, but also flight being a reasonable response. i also loved the emphasis on black community, how black people had to look after each other because relying on the humanity and kindness of white people was not something that could be expected or guaranteed. this culminated in a story about tye anders, a young, black man accused of running a stop sign (with no evidence). he pulled up in front of his grandmother's house. he was lying on the ground screaming that he was scared. he clearly had no weapons. multiple guns were trained on him. his 90 year old grandmother walked out of the house and stood between the police and tye. jackson didn't tell this story to talk about why police don't need to exist (we should all be aware of this) but to display a certain kind of protection and bravery that could only be displayed by person that has seen the worst things that white supremacy does to black people. this brings me to point 3 -
3.) jackson spends a whole chapter talking about black joy, how its existence is a radical act, how the joy of black people can remove some power from white people trying to express their power and privilege. i'm glad the book ended on this note. i think it's not and has never been the oppressor's business to tell the oppressed how to respond to their own oppression, there's always going to be someone that tries to do so. the same people that live in a country where bull connor directed officers to use their dogs and physically attack CHILDREN during the children's march want to claim that it's "history" don't deserve to have opinions about how black people respond to the violence enacted against them by white people or a white supremacist society.
frankly, i treasure this book. i think this should be required reading in schools. it was truly an honor to be able to hear kellie tell her own family's stories in her own voice. i try my best to educate myself (and i will continue to learn until i'm no longer able) but i value this book for teaching me things that i did not know and never would have considered. truly one of my favorite books of all time.
this book is currently out in hardcover and digital formats, but the audio drops July 09, 2024 and is, in my opinion, one of the most essential and relevant reads released in quite a while.
--
last year, i read March: Book One, a graphic novel series memorializing the life of the late senator john lewis, specifically unpacking his belief system centered in nonviolence. it's no secret that, particularly after trump, racism has exponentially shown itself publicly and loudly again. (a note here: i am in no way suggesting racism wasn't ultra prevalent prior to trump's inauguration, just that the installment of a violent racist into the american presidency seemed to embolden and inflame the racists still living in our country to be louder and more violent than the recent years prior, but i acknowledge as a white person i've had the inordinate privilege of not being privy to the same hatred and violent acts as black, indigenous, and other people of color.)
one of the stupidest talking points i've heard was the dissection on "appropriate protest", particularly when the protests in question happen in the wake of yet another white officer killing another unarmed black person - perhaps even trying to incriminate the black person by planting evidence, lying about their actions (which are later disproved by body cams or witnesses), and suggesting they deserve death, usually for the crime of just living while being black. so i picked up we refuse because i was interested in reading the counterpoint to the nonviolence argument.
this was actually immaculate. jackson uses historical examples to make her point - the haitian revolution, the christiana riot, john brown's raid - but what made this special was interspersing these historical events with the history of her own family. jackson's great-grandmother arnesta was nine and stepped on a nail. a white doctor refused to treat her unless her mother would agree that in exchange for his services, arnesta would live her life in slavery, doomed to a life of certain abuse, rape, and violence on top of subjugation. arnesta's mother's breathtaking choice to deny the doctor the right to arnesta's personhood was horror inducing, not because a mother was refusing care for her child but because a person saw a child facing probable death and instead of rendering immediate care thought first about acquiring ownership over another human. this is white violence.
jackson expertly weaves the necessity of violence from therein, but does several incredible things that need to be called out:
1.) she centers the actions of black women, in particular, often forgotten or diminished by history. i cherished the story of solitude, a pregnant woman fighting back against france for a better life for her baby. i think about the unthinkable act of violence perpetrated against her when she was captured - she would be allowed to give birth, her child would become a slave. i think about margaret garner, the woman that fleed enslavement and when followed and cornered to be brought back to her plantation, began to kill her children because death was better than them living their lives enslaved. i can't imagine being faced with a choice like this.
2.) there's not just a heavy focus on violence as an antidote to oppression, but also flight being a reasonable response. i also loved the emphasis on black community, how black people had to look after each other because relying on the humanity and kindness of white people was not something that could be expected or guaranteed. this culminated in a story about tye anders, a young, black man accused of running a stop sign (with no evidence). he pulled up in front of his grandmother's house. he was lying on the ground screaming that he was scared. he clearly had no weapons. multiple guns were trained on him. his 90 year old grandmother walked out of the house and stood between the police and tye. jackson didn't tell this story to talk about why police don't need to exist (we should all be aware of this) but to display a certain kind of protection and bravery that could only be displayed by person that has seen the worst things that white supremacy does to black people. this brings me to point 3 -
3.) jackson spends a whole chapter talking about black joy, how its existence is a radical act, how the joy of black people can remove some power from white people trying to express their power and privilege. i'm glad the book ended on this note. i think it's not and has never been the oppressor's business to tell the oppressed how to respond to their own oppression, there's always going to be someone that tries to do so. the same people that live in a country where bull connor directed officers to use their dogs and physically attack CHILDREN during the children's march want to claim that it's "history" don't deserve to have opinions about how black people respond to the violence enacted against them by white people or a white supremacist society.
frankly, i treasure this book. i think this should be required reading in schools. it was truly an honor to be able to hear kellie tell her own family's stories in her own voice. i try my best to educate myself (and i will continue to learn until i'm no longer able) but i value this book for teaching me things that i did not know and never would have considered. truly one of my favorite books of all time.
February 17, 2024
I would best describe We Refuse as a "strong" book. It is bold in its argument and in its connecting the past to the present, both in terms of our nation and in the author's personal history. Jackson makes the case that black resistance has had a much wider scope than has typically been considered in American history. The personal stories of her family experiences link the larger narrative to individual histories. Throughout the book, she makes a compelling argument that resistance has always been the key to freedom, and that without individuals' agency, there may not have been a cause to change the status quo.
The book's best contribution is in the previously unknown stories of several historical figures. The Christiana Rebellion will be new for several readers, and the story of Williams, Mabel, and Roberts will force readers to reconceptualize African American history and its popular theme of passive aggressiveness towards change. Even Harriet Tubman's story gets a unique perspective. While many people may have heard about her activism, she is portrayed as more militant and more combative than in the past. Maybe unsettling for some, but a much needed correction to the subdued, sanguine myth of the Underground Railroad leader that we tend to adopt as children.
Jackson ends the book on a sense of positive, forward thinking. Joy, she writes, is also inherently a form of resistance. It can lead to improved conditions, positive mental states, and can be the spark for future action. It allows people to stand up forcefully and work against the system.
For readers who think the story of black advocacy has already been written, read We Refuse.
The book's best contribution is in the previously unknown stories of several historical figures. The Christiana Rebellion will be new for several readers, and the story of Williams, Mabel, and Roberts will force readers to reconceptualize African American history and its popular theme of passive aggressiveness towards change. Even Harriet Tubman's story gets a unique perspective. While many people may have heard about her activism, she is portrayed as more militant and more combative than in the past. Maybe unsettling for some, but a much needed correction to the subdued, sanguine myth of the Underground Railroad leader that we tend to adopt as children.
Jackson ends the book on a sense of positive, forward thinking. Joy, she writes, is also inherently a form of resistance. It can lead to improved conditions, positive mental states, and can be the spark for future action. It allows people to stand up forcefully and work against the system.
For readers who think the story of black advocacy has already been written, read We Refuse.
May 31, 2024
5.0 stars
This review is based on a digital ARC provided by the publisher.
Review
I love nonfiction books that blend autobiographical elements with the subject matter. In We Refuse, Carter Jackson examines Black resistance through historical figures and events (especially those which popular history has forgotten, with a particular focus on Black women) as well as from her own family, such as her brother and her great-grandmother.
Some nonfiction books struggle with dry or unengaging prose, which is certainly not an issue in We Refuse. Reading We Refuse feels like a conversation, not a textbook, so if you tend to avoid nonfiction because you find it "boring," that will not be a problem with We Refuse. Carter Jackson's prose is vibrant, emotional, funny, and fundamentally alive.
Carter Jackson examines, with nuance and care, the many ways in which Black people have resisted white supremacy. Her ability to bring historical events and figures to life--even those that little is known of--is fantastic. For example, Carter Jackson's telling of the life and trial of Carrie Johnson was strikingly evocative. She gave new life to life to Carrie's story: a teenage girl who defended her home and her father, leading to her year-and-a-half-long trial which, miraculously, ended with dropped charges after a retrial. I had never heard of Carrie (nor the events of 1919, where white mobs--including, of course, the police--attacked black communities), and I am so, so glad that We Refuse told her story.
As Carter Jackson states, "forgetting is political," and with her focus on figures whose stories have been largely--in some cases, intentionally--forgotten, she fights against racist cultural amnesia.
Some Thoughts
That said, there are some noticably unaddressed spots in terms of intersectionality.
The most obvious to me was the lack of discussion of Black LGBTQ+ people in the context of their identities as Black civil rights figures and advocates. For example, while writers like Baldwin and hooks are mentioned, they are mentioned without reference or acknowledgement of their queer identities and queer work, neither of which are seperatable from their Black identities and Black work.
This struck me as strange, as Black queer communities and figures (especially Black queer women!) have a long history of refusing white structures of heterosexuality and gender roles, cultivating and expressing Black joy, and resisting white violence (especially police violence), all of which fit closely alongside the ideas of resistance Carter Jackson discusses.
For example, there was Storme DeLarverie, a Black butch lesbian and drag king called the Cowboy of NYC. She wore a gun on her hip and patrolled the streets to protect members of her community from anti-queer and racist hatred, which she called "ugliness" (https://www.campuspride.org/queer-his... https://www.villagepreservation.org/2...).
To quote Alvin McEwen from his 2014 opinion piece "The Erasure of 'Gay' From Black History and the Black Community Must Stop" (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-er...
Mind, I am not implying nor do I believe that Carter Jackson is ignoring or intentionally excluding Black queer voices and history from We Refuse. I simply noticed queer Black identity as a missing spot of intersectionality which is relevant to Carter Jackson's arguments about Black resistance.
The below is nowhere near comprehensive (I had to stop myself before it got too long), but for those interested about reading about Black queer figures, culture, and history, here are some links to get started.
Black Queer History & Identity
https://time.com/6263354/black-lgbtq-...
https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/f...
https://journals.openedition.org/ejas...
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories...
https://traue.commons.gc.cuny.edu/tow...
https://www.newsweek.com/black-queer-...
https://www.queerportraits.com/bio/ra...
https://www.bkreader.com/black-histor...
https://lowninstitute.org/the-interse...
https://www.them.us/story/queer-women...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-er...
https://rethinkingschools.org/article...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24641...
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/ny...
Black Queer Joy
https://www.instagram.com/blackqueerjoy utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)
https://www.xonecole.com/lil-nas-x-bl...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/daily/lil-na...
https://www.gaytimes.com/life/unity-t...
https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/blac...
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2023...
https://lambdalegal.org/blogs/us_2023...
https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/zen...
Ballroom culture
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories...
https://peabodyballroom.library.jhu.e...
https://www.loftgaycenter.org/ballroo...
Stonewall rebellion
https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/...
https://www.prideportland.org/heroes-...
https://www.ywcaworks.org/blogs/fires...
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC for review!
This review is based on a digital ARC provided by the publisher.
Review
I love nonfiction books that blend autobiographical elements with the subject matter. In We Refuse, Carter Jackson examines Black resistance through historical figures and events (especially those which popular history has forgotten, with a particular focus on Black women) as well as from her own family, such as her brother and her great-grandmother.
Some nonfiction books struggle with dry or unengaging prose, which is certainly not an issue in We Refuse. Reading We Refuse feels like a conversation, not a textbook, so if you tend to avoid nonfiction because you find it "boring," that will not be a problem with We Refuse. Carter Jackson's prose is vibrant, emotional, funny, and fundamentally alive.
Carter Jackson examines, with nuance and care, the many ways in which Black people have resisted white supremacy. Her ability to bring historical events and figures to life--even those that little is known of--is fantastic. For example, Carter Jackson's telling of the life and trial of Carrie Johnson was strikingly evocative. She gave new life to life to Carrie's story: a teenage girl who defended her home and her father, leading to her year-and-a-half-long trial which, miraculously, ended with dropped charges after a retrial. I had never heard of Carrie (nor the events of 1919, where white mobs--including, of course, the police--attacked black communities), and I am so, so glad that We Refuse told her story.
As Carter Jackson states, "forgetting is political," and with her focus on figures whose stories have been largely--in some cases, intentionally--forgotten, she fights against racist cultural amnesia.
Some Thoughts
That said, there are some noticably unaddressed spots in terms of intersectionality.
The most obvious to me was the lack of discussion of Black LGBTQ+ people in the context of their identities as Black civil rights figures and advocates. For example, while writers like Baldwin and hooks are mentioned, they are mentioned without reference or acknowledgement of their queer identities and queer work, neither of which are seperatable from their Black identities and Black work.
This struck me as strange, as Black queer communities and figures (especially Black queer women!) have a long history of refusing white structures of heterosexuality and gender roles, cultivating and expressing Black joy, and resisting white violence (especially police violence), all of which fit closely alongside the ideas of resistance Carter Jackson discusses.
For example, there was Storme DeLarverie, a Black butch lesbian and drag king called the Cowboy of NYC. She wore a gun on her hip and patrolled the streets to protect members of her community from anti-queer and racist hatred, which she called "ugliness" (https://www.campuspride.org/queer-his... https://www.villagepreservation.org/2...).
To quote Alvin McEwen from his 2014 opinion piece "The Erasure of 'Gay' From Black History and the Black Community Must Stop" (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-er...
... the simple fact never entered my mind that yes, gay people were subjected to slavery, segregation and racism because of our skin. Just as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people of color exist now, we existed back then. Then it suddenly struck me again that I've never recalled any acknowledgement of this fact during the myriad of discussions, I've read, listened to or seen regarding comparisons between the gay and civil rights movements.
And why is that?
There have been numerous debates, articles, columns, movies and documentaries about how the legacy of racism has had a negative effect on so many aspects of African-American community, from our families to the way we interact with each other. It stands to reason that the legacy of racism didn't leave LGBT people of color unscathed. But information about what LGBT people of color did during those awful times in our history or what effect it has had on us is practically nonexistent.
...
There is a pattern of erasure which strips our presence from the majority of black history. And this pattern of erasure bleeds into day-to-day treatment and interactions. Personal biases and prejudices prevent us from being considered as genuine members of the black community and many heterosexual African-Americans conveniently ignore issues and concerns indigenous to us as LGBT people.
Mind, I am not implying nor do I believe that Carter Jackson is ignoring or intentionally excluding Black queer voices and history from We Refuse. I simply noticed queer Black identity as a missing spot of intersectionality which is relevant to Carter Jackson's arguments about Black resistance.
The below is nowhere near comprehensive (I had to stop myself before it got too long), but for those interested about reading about Black queer figures, culture, and history, here are some links to get started.
Black Queer History & Identity
https://time.com/6263354/black-lgbtq-...
https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/f...
https://journals.openedition.org/ejas...
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories...
https://traue.commons.gc.cuny.edu/tow...
https://www.newsweek.com/black-queer-...
https://www.queerportraits.com/bio/ra...
https://www.bkreader.com/black-histor...
https://lowninstitute.org/the-interse...
https://www.them.us/story/queer-women...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-er...
https://rethinkingschools.org/article...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24641...
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/30/ny...
Black Queer Joy
https://www.instagram.com/blackqueerjoy utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)
https://www.xonecole.com/lil-nas-x-bl...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/daily/lil-na...
https://www.gaytimes.com/life/unity-t...
https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/blac...
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2023...
https://lambdalegal.org/blogs/us_2023...
https://www.garrisoninstitute.org/zen...
Ballroom culture
https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories...
https://peabodyballroom.library.jhu.e...
https://www.loftgaycenter.org/ballroo...
Stonewall rebellion
https://guides.loc.gov/lgbtq-studies/...
https://www.prideportland.org/heroes-...
https://www.ywcaworks.org/blogs/fires...
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC for review!
March 20, 2024
Description
A radical reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and violent—to white supremacy
Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” In We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson urges us to move past this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.
The dismissal of “Black violence” as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy, a distraction from the insidious, unrelenting violence of structural racism. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. But violence is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.
Clear-eyed, impassioned, and ultimately hopeful, We Refuse offers a fundamental corrective to the historical record, a love letter to Black resilience, and a path toward liberation.
My Take:
The promise of the description is fulfilled in the book. A great example of how history marries well with womanist theopoetics, Black refusal is not always realized via violence-although sometimes needs must- but in quieter pursuits such as flight, dance, faith, and joy. I recommend this book without reservation for historical societies, museums, academic collectives, churches and more. Get this for your libraries and your altars.
A radical reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and violent—to white supremacy
Black resistance to white supremacy is often reduced to a simple binary, between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolence and Malcolm X’s “by any means necessary.” In We Refuse, historian Kellie Carter Jackson urges us to move past this false choice, offering an unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.
The dismissal of “Black violence” as an illegitimate form of resistance is itself a manifestation of white supremacy, a distraction from the insidious, unrelenting violence of structural racism. Force—from work stoppages and property destruction to armed revolt—has played a pivotal part in securing freedom and justice for Black people since the days of the American and Haitian Revolutions. But violence is only one tool among many. Carter Jackson examines other, no less vital tactics that have shaped the Black struggle, from the restorative power of finding joy in the face of suffering to the quiet strength of simply walking away.
Clear-eyed, impassioned, and ultimately hopeful, We Refuse offers a fundamental corrective to the historical record, a love letter to Black resilience, and a path toward liberation.
My Take:
The promise of the description is fulfilled in the book. A great example of how history marries well with womanist theopoetics, Black refusal is not always realized via violence-although sometimes needs must- but in quieter pursuits such as flight, dance, faith, and joy. I recommend this book without reservation for historical societies, museums, academic collectives, churches and more. Get this for your libraries and your altars.
June 5, 2024
Jackson produced an important work that examined Black resistance to white supremacy and terrorism. The focus was not on what was done to Blacks but what Blacks did to in response to what they experienced and to prevent it from happening when possible. She did it through a broader view than the usual dichotomy of nonviolence—protests and marches—and violence. She included things like work slow-downs, flight and protection of oneself and others among a number of methods. She particularly used the activities of Black women who have often been forgotten or left out of the narrative of Black resistance. Without Black women in the narrative at least half of the history of Black resistance had not been told.
Jackson presented this information in a very readable style and length that was anything but dry or bombastic. She included examples from her own family as well as lesser-known historical figures (or pretty much unknown by most people) that kept the information fresh instead of focusing on the usual people who have become so well-known that the impact has been blunted by the often retelling of their accounts. By the inclusion of these often-untapped people (or the not as well-known exploits of the well-known historical figures) she reinforced both the greater number of people involved in resistance than many think of and the many methods used.
She did not shy away from discussions of force and violence used by Blacks to resist white terrorism or apologize for it. Let us be truthful, force and violence sometimes have been and still are the only way to combat the violence that has been used against Blacks by whites and the state for hundreds of years. As Jackson pointed out, most often when Blacks used guns against whites in resistance it had been in reaction to violence visited upon them first. And often they gave warning shots. There were less than a half dozen recorded instances of Blacks lynching whites when the numbers were in the thousands of Blacks lynched by whites. Jackson argued Blacks wanted and still want justice not revenge.
However, she did not argue that violence and force was the only or best effective method of resistance in many cases. In fact, she argued that joy was/is “one of the most potent tools of revolutionary work toward liberation.” To me, that was the most fascinating argument she presented. Joy, that did not ignore the suffering Blacks had experienced, but that perhaps existed even more because of it. As Jackson put it, “Black joy produces the antidote to degeneration and erosion of Black life.” That is a profound idea.
This was not always a comfortable book to read. Nor should it be. Jackson made some statements that I did not always agree with. However, it is important to think about the ideas and arguments presented here. It is important to know about the ways Blacks resisted and still resist racial terrorism. There is another way of looking at her one of her statements, “The intrinsic belief in Black humanity is essential to understanding Black resistance to racial terror.” That is: understanding Black resistance to racial terror is an intrinsic belief in Black humanity. A belief in Black humanity is what we must have. We must have a belief that all people have humanity. The consequences of not believing that is still ripping our world apart and will continue to do so in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Jackson presented this information in a very readable style and length that was anything but dry or bombastic. She included examples from her own family as well as lesser-known historical figures (or pretty much unknown by most people) that kept the information fresh instead of focusing on the usual people who have become so well-known that the impact has been blunted by the often retelling of their accounts. By the inclusion of these often-untapped people (or the not as well-known exploits of the well-known historical figures) she reinforced both the greater number of people involved in resistance than many think of and the many methods used.
She did not shy away from discussions of force and violence used by Blacks to resist white terrorism or apologize for it. Let us be truthful, force and violence sometimes have been and still are the only way to combat the violence that has been used against Blacks by whites and the state for hundreds of years. As Jackson pointed out, most often when Blacks used guns against whites in resistance it had been in reaction to violence visited upon them first. And often they gave warning shots. There were less than a half dozen recorded instances of Blacks lynching whites when the numbers were in the thousands of Blacks lynched by whites. Jackson argued Blacks wanted and still want justice not revenge.
However, she did not argue that violence and force was the only or best effective method of resistance in many cases. In fact, she argued that joy was/is “one of the most potent tools of revolutionary work toward liberation.” To me, that was the most fascinating argument she presented. Joy, that did not ignore the suffering Blacks had experienced, but that perhaps existed even more because of it. As Jackson put it, “Black joy produces the antidote to degeneration and erosion of Black life.” That is a profound idea.
This was not always a comfortable book to read. Nor should it be. Jackson made some statements that I did not always agree with. However, it is important to think about the ideas and arguments presented here. It is important to know about the ways Blacks resisted and still resist racial terrorism. There is another way of looking at her one of her statements, “The intrinsic belief in Black humanity is essential to understanding Black resistance to racial terror.” That is: understanding Black resistance to racial terror is an intrinsic belief in Black humanity. A belief in Black humanity is what we must have. We must have a belief that all people have humanity. The consequences of not believing that is still ripping our world apart and will continue to do so in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
July 6, 2024
A little messy and lost focus in some bits, but KCJ’s main ideas rethinking/resisting the binary of nonviolence and violence are essential. Each chapter discusses a different facet of Black resistance to white supremacy, pulling examples of individuals and events from across American history, many of which I knew little or nothing about. However, because there is so much overlap in those different facets and the definition work is fairly loose, the book felt a bit disorganized at times and the main argument got away from Carter Jackson a bit. I also wanted more detail and analysis in many places where she just moved on instead. The final chapter on joy was the most compelling and neatly encompassed the themes of the other chapters in ways that helped make more sense of previous chapters.
One of the most salient points regarding oppression and resistance is summed up neatly at the end of chapter three: “There is no form of protest white supremacy will approve. Whether Black people take a knee or burn down the QuikTrip, the backlash will always be the same. Appeasing white power structures will not work. And when nonviolence is not successful, it is likely because nonviolence is being used as a tool to suppress change. Only by force can freedom be gained….Force is what happens when white people fail to live up to the laws of their own creation.”
One of the most salient points regarding oppression and resistance is summed up neatly at the end of chapter three: “There is no form of protest white supremacy will approve. Whether Black people take a knee or burn down the QuikTrip, the backlash will always be the same. Appeasing white power structures will not work. And when nonviolence is not successful, it is likely because nonviolence is being used as a tool to suppress change. Only by force can freedom be gained….Force is what happens when white people fail to live up to the laws of their own creation.”
May 13, 2024
Carter Jackson makes an excellent and easily readable case for continued Black Resistance ---- and just look at this amazing cover!
From historical references including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X’s, Audre Lorde and some of her own family history,
historian Kellie Carter Jackson clearly illustrates that much of the media and the well worn two dimensional stories are a distraction from structural racism. Refusal is not frames only as violence and Carter Jackson lists five components of resistance: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy. The Joy is spectacular as it ends the book on a hopeful note.
This is history based in the USA and a must read for all. A. Must. Read. There is so much in our history in the US that has been winnowed down to a few sentences and tropes. Fortunately for us, Carter Jackson is able to bring these stories to life with more facts and more detail. This is a book that will be lauded by many and hopefully up for awards. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
.#basicbooks #sealpress #werefuse #kelliecarterjackson
From historical references including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X’s, Audre Lorde and some of her own family history,
historian Kellie Carter Jackson clearly illustrates that much of the media and the well worn two dimensional stories are a distraction from structural racism. Refusal is not frames only as violence and Carter Jackson lists five components of resistance: Revolution, Protection, Force, Flight, and Joy. The Joy is spectacular as it ends the book on a hopeful note.
This is history based in the USA and a must read for all. A. Must. Read. There is so much in our history in the US that has been winnowed down to a few sentences and tropes. Fortunately for us, Carter Jackson is able to bring these stories to life with more facts and more detail. This is a book that will be lauded by many and hopefully up for awards. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
.#basicbooks #sealpress #werefuse #kelliecarterjackson
May 21, 2024
I was at a memorial dedication event for the Shoshone this weekend and I was telling everyone about this book. The honest history. The rage.
Why do we "white wash" everything and pretend that there was no violent resistance? Violent resistance gets results. Let's talk about it.
I love the line about how white supremacy wrecks havoc on the lives of black people and steals the soul of white people (not verbatim).
I loved the family history stories in this book as well.
More of us "white women" need to read books like this. We need to be there to fight for our sisters and our daughters. Being submissive does not get the same results.
Please write more.
Why do we "white wash" everything and pretend that there was no violent resistance? Violent resistance gets results. Let's talk about it.
I love the line about how white supremacy wrecks havoc on the lives of black people and steals the soul of white people (not verbatim).
I loved the family history stories in this book as well.
More of us "white women" need to read books like this. We need to be there to fight for our sisters and our daughters. Being submissive does not get the same results.
Please write more.
January 29, 2024
As a historian this is an important book. There is a gap in research discussing violent resistance from this point of view with in historical literature. The only reason for not being five stars is because it some points the other loses focus. This does not mean it’s not an important book though. Thank you to Net Galley for this arc.
July 17, 2024
We Refuse is a fascinating look at the many forms of Black resistance, and brought to light many stories I didn't know about. It's also just a compulsive read.
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