How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America is a 2021 nonfiction book written by author Clint Smith and published by Little, Brown. The work examines the slavery in America. The text includes visits to a variety of historical landmarks/monuments and describes how each entity depicts the history of American slavery. Smith was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction (2021),[1] the Stowe Prize (2022[2]), the Dayton Literary Peace Prize (2022)[3] and the Hillman Prize for Book Journalism (2022)[4] for the book.
How the Word Is Passed features journeys to Monticello Plantation, Whitney Plantation, Angola Prison, Blandford Cemetery, Galveston, Texas, New York City, and Goree Island. With each visit, Smith analyzes how preservative structures within American society (monuments, road names, holidays, neighborhoods, etc.) can reflect deep, conflicting, foundational truths within America’s past. Smith also considers how the cumulative writing and rewriting of history affects our current societal perception of American slavery.
Reception
According to Book Marks, the book received a "rave" consensus, based on eighteen critics: fourteen "rave", two "positive", and two "mixed".[5] In the August/September 2021 issue of Bookmarks, the book was scored four out of five stars. The magazine's critical summary reads: "This unique, accessible book juxtaposes the history of slavery with its current presentation at nine sites, primarily tourist-oriented ones in the United States".[6]
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